As the first "super star" of Indian science, Dr R A Mashelkar, has played a role much larger than the head of the massive CSIR network of laboratories. The biotech task force headed by him has charted out the course for a modern, efficient regulatory framework for biotechnology. And the dozen other high power committees headed by him in the last 15 years have propelled the country's amazing progress in different areas of high technology. An unabashed champion of liberalization and intellectual property rights(IPR), so crucial to the life sciences sector, this unassuming chemical engineer has left ever-lasting imprints in Indian biotechnology sector rapid progress to global glory by nudging, advising and of course clearing the various hurdles in its onward march. No wonder he was the unanimous choice of the BioSpectrum Jury for the Life Time Achievement Award as he hangs up his public administrator's role and takes up a mentor's role to inspire another generation of Indians.

Dubbed as a 'dangerous optimist', Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, Director General, CSIR, has the reputation of being someone who always sees the half full part of the glass and not the half empty. This attitude has been the key behind the saga of this extraordinary man who began his life in poverty, sometimes hungry and shoeless, but rose to become the Director General of the world's largest chain of publicly funded industrial research and development; the CSIR (Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research) and the president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), which is the number one position for a scientist in the country.

Humble beginnings

Born in place called Mashel in Goa ; he was the only child to his parents. Bereaved of his father at the tender age of six, young Mashelkar along with his mother came to Mumbai in search of a livelihood. "It was a tough childhood. I walked barefoot until I was twelve; studied under streetlights; getting two square meals a day was a problem," he recalled. In spite of all the hardships, he excelled in studies and made it a habit to top all through his academic career.

"My mother did odd jobs, like stitching, to bring me up and to make sure that I got educated. The only way I could study was through scholarships, so standing first in the class became a necessity. What kept me going, however, was my mother's determination that I must study and achieve the greatest heights possible".

His interest towards science was kindled early in life by his physics professor. "One day Principal Bhave, who taught us physics, took us outside the classroom to demonstrate how to find the focal length of a convex lens. He focused the sun's rays onto a piece of paper and told us that the distance between the paper and the lens was the focal length. Then he held the lens in place until the paper burned. That's when he turned towards me and said, Mashelkar, if you can focus your energies like this and not diffuse them, you can burn anything in the world!' I decided at that moment to become a scientist", shared the CSIR chief.

After earning a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Bombay University in 1966, Mashelkar pursued his studies towards a PhD at the University. He did post doctoral research at the University of Salford, UK, held a faculty position there and then had a brief stint in the US as a visiting professor. But in the mid 1970s, when attractive offers came his way for the faculty positions in top schools in the US and UK , he decided to return to India .

In fact, the story of his return to India was very interesting. The late Dr Nayaduma, DG, CSIR during the mid Seventies, had gone to London to prospect bright Indian scientists working overseas at the behest of Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. Mashelkar went to meet him at the Survey Hotel in London , spoke to him for about half hour and was filled with the dream of a new India . He accepted the offer on the spot and told his wife in the evening, "The nation is calling us, let us go back." Thus, returned the prodigal son of India and joined the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune at a salary of Rs 2,100.

This internationally acclaimed chemical engineer took over as the Director of National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in 1989. At 46, he was the youngest Director to take over the charge of this premier research laboratory. Dr Mashelkar brought in new concepts in research and technology management and moved NCL on the path of being a global R&D platform by offering its technologies and services worldwide.

When Mashelkar took over as DG, CSIR, in 1995, he became the youngest Director General of CSIR at the age of 52. It was then that he single handedly revamped the organization and turned it into 'CSIR Inc': A public funded R&D institution with corporate style R&D and business plan. This initiative has transformed the organization into a user-focused, performance-driven and accountable organization. "We now have a very transparent and open working system. We see a new vibrant institution and more importantly, now CSIR has become Team CSIR: 38 labs wo
He has also been instrumental in propagating a culture of innovation and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime for over a decade. It was through his visionary campaign that growing awareness of IPR has dawned on Indian academics, researches and corporates. He spearheaded the successful challenge to the US patent on the rking together," said the DG passionately.

Use of turmeric for wound healing and also the patent on Basmati rice. These landmark cases have set up new paradigms in the protection of India 's traditional knowledge base, besides leading to the setting up of India 's first Traditional Knowledge Digital Library.

In turn, at an international level, this has led to the initiation of the change of the International Patent Classification System to give traditional knowledge its rightful place.

His dedicated and through style of working has won him over 40 awards and honours both in India and abroad. He is one of the eight Indians who have been elected as fellows of the America 's National Academy of Sciences since 1863; Third Indian Engineer to have been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in the twentieth century. The President of India honoured Dr Mashelkar with Padmashri (1991) and with Padmabhushan (2000), two of the highest civilian honours in recognition to his contribution to nation building. In 2005 he received the Business Week (USA) award of 'Star of Asia' at the hands of George Bush (Sr), the former President of USA. Business India named him as being among the 50 path breakers in the post Independent India.

Summing his philosophy towards life and his achievements, Mashelkar said, "For everything that we do not have, we have to count what we have and make progress. I am also a great believer in
thinking that the rest of our lives will be spent in the future and therefore, future is all that we should think about. My own personal life, the trials and tribulations through which I rose, has given me the confidence that anyone can reach this great height if one is at it." And this is also his message to the younger generation.

Dr Mashelkar will be bidding adieu to CSIR on December 31 this year after a long and eventful stint but will remain active in the national and international science arena. In fact his 2007 calendar is fully booked. He will be taking up full time research at NCL as a CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow and will continue to be the President of INSA. He has also been elected the first President of Global Research Alliance (GRA), a forum of CSIR like institutions across the world, and will guide GRA to see how it can create a global knowledge pool for global good through massive global funding.