Story and pix by Chan Lilian
IT is not often that we get a glimpse of the power and significance of Indian civilisation and culture as well as science and technology in one single location. However, Penangites and visitors were treated to this heady mix of the coexistence between the old and the new at the Town Hall in Esplanade in mid-April when the Fest of India – IT Exhibitions took place.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was guest of honour, was at the inauguration ceremony of the multimedia exhibition on the “Rise Of Digital India”.
This exhibition was brought to Malaysia by the High Commission of India in association with the National Council of Science Museum, India as part of the ”Festival of India in Malaysia 2015”’.
On hand to welcome Lim Indian High Commissioner T. S. Tirumurti.
In his speech, Lim said: “This exhibition gives a very vivid view of how a developing country under colonial rule can transform itself from a predominantly agricultural nation to a modern nation which now houses the third largest pool of scientific and technical personnel.
”One of the recent manifestation of India’s strength in science and technology is the satellite which India successfully placed in the Martian Orbit – the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft reached its orbit in September last year. Entire designing and development was done by Indian scientists which also kept the total cost of the mission low at US$73 million.”
Lim was taken on a tour around the exhibition area to view many of the interesting exhibits.