The Nehru Science Centre (NSC) at Worli is playing host to an exhibition on vaccines called ‘Vaccines Injecting Hope.’ As the Coronavirus plunged the world in gloom, for many it was a syringe that pierced through the thunderclouds like sunlight on an overcast day, bringing hope and life amidst suffering. Exhibits, installations and literature aimed at showing the role of vaccines in our world, what was their part in past crises, how far we have come scientifically and what will happen in the future, all put science on the highest pedestal.
The exhibition was inaugurated over this past weekend by science centre’s special guests, who gave their words of wisdom on the occasion. The leafy venue’s auditorium was packed with students from different schools, listening intently, several amongst these were aspiring scientists.
World pharmacy
Samarendra Kumar, deputy director general, National Council of Science Museums Kolkata, said on a nostalgic note, “I started my career here at this very centre in 1989. It is especially moving for me to be here speaking on the occasion. The exhibition is on the science of vaccines and new vaccines for future disease.” He reminded his audience that, “India is the pharmacy of the world” and there were some cheers for that. The exhibition is on at the Worli venue, but they also have a similar exhibition in a travelling van, “which will be going to rural parts of the state,” he explained.
Global story
Helen Jones, director Global Engagement Science Museum London said, “It is very humbling to be here with people who made such a contribution during the pandemic. It is important that we remember and hear stories about what it was like to live through the pandemic. These are global stories that need to be told.”
Pivotal role
The UK-India story was taken further by Philomena Gibbons, associate director, Transition & Legacy, Wellcome Trust London, who said, “The COVID-19 pandemic showed the pivotal role science played in working towards a solution.” She made a case of engagement of society with science, and added that the exhibition, “has global messages.” Next speaker Alison Barrett, MBE, director India, British Council, British High Commission New Delhi, said a few sentences in Hindi earning laughter and applause from the audience as she underlined the India-UK collaboration and called it the “vaccine alliance.”
Life savers
There was Dr Mufazzal Lakdawala, director, Dept of General Surgery and Minimal Access Surgical Sciences, Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital on the mike soon after. He said, “Vaccines brought about new hope during the pandemic. It was then that we knew we could fight the virus, we did so and overcame it.” Lakdawala added.
Soul-searching
Padma Vibhushan Dr Anil Kakodkar spoke about, “How all of us have had an experience of going through the pandemic, which was a worldwide phenomenon, and had a great adverse global impact.” Kakodkar added, “Usually, a vaccine develops over years. Yet, a pandemic like the one we had does not give one the luxury of that time. This is an incredible phenomenon that the world has gone through and it is a story that must reach everyone.”
Kakodkar said, “We must also be careful about how we handle climate change. If not addressed correctly, it has potential to have huge and devastating impact.” The expert said that it was science that helped manage the damage during Coronavirus, “Yet we have to think that as human beings, have we driven ourselves to living in a way that creates instability? The world is becoming richer but that does not mean it is becoming happier? Can we adjust ourselves to living so that the things that happen ensure stability? We have created a heavy disturbance in our ecology. We cannot be living from crisis to crisis. We need to do some soul searching. This exhibition tells us how we can correct ourselves in a fundamental way,” he wrapped up on a riveting morning where science met society and soul searching. The exhibition Vaccines injecting Hope is on till July 28.
July 28
Day the exhibition will be held till
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