781 scientists, academics urge Modi to end Kashmir’s lockdown

Bengaluru: Over 780 prominent Indian scientists, researchers and academicians from premier institutions such as IITs and IISc have, through two statements, asked the Modi government to end the communication lockdown in Kashmir, The Print reported.

The first statement, which was originally published in The Hindu, calls attention to the impact of the restrictions on academic institutions in Kashmir.Initially signed by six well-known personalities — B. Ananthanarayan (Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru), Gautam Menon (Ashoka University, Sonepat), Jayant Murthy (Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru), Rahul Siddharthan (Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai), Reeteka Sud (NIMHANS, Bengaluru) and Mukund Thattai (National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru) — the statement had been endorsed by 150 others by Thursday.

“While all residents of Kashmir deserve to be heard, we wish to express our concern about the situation at academic institutions,” the statement reads.

“The University of Kashmir is home to many fine scholars, including young scientists who have returned to India from reputable institutions abroad to set up their own laboratories in Kashmir and train the next generation of scientists, supported by funding from Indian government bodies like DST (department of science and technology) and DBT (department of biotechnology) and prestigious fellowships like the Early Career Fellowships from India Alliance.

Such researchers, and their students, remain cut off from the internet and the world. In today’s world, the internet is an absolutely vital tool for conducting and communicating research,” the statement adds.