Talk cum interactive session
on How science and religions can be complementary?

by Prof Dr Lalit Mohan Kukreja
Scientist, educationist and motivational speaker

Tuesday 23 January 2018 | 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm

Co-organised by The International Centre Goa and Epi-knowledge Foundation

Entry Free & Open to public

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Prof Dr Lalit Mohan Kukreja is a scientist, educationist and motivational speaker, who has served for nearly four decades in the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India until his retirement in 2015 as an ‘Outstanding Scientist’ and Head of Division. He is recipient of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Fellowship in 2012, Materials Research Society of India (MRSI) medal in 2011 and Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, Germany in 1990. He was a distinguished professor of Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai and has been invited by numerous science academies and research institutes within India and abroad to deliver seminars and
carry out collaborative research. He has published more than 400 articles in international/national peer reviewed research journals and book chapters. He has two ‘Nature’ Correspondences to his credit. Currently he is the Founder-President of Epi-knowledge Foundation, an NGO for the promotion of Science and Education based in Mumbai.
To know more about the speaker, one may visit his home page:
https://sites.google.com/site/drlmkukreja/home

How science and religions can be complementary?
In contrast to the general notion that science and religions are dichotomous to each other it is found that a deep understanding of their core nature and basic purposes can actually help us achieve the best of both worlds in harmony. Undoubtedly science and the ensuing technological developments have revolutionized the way we live today, particularly in the fields of medicine, transport, communication, digital technologies etc. However, despite its colossal success, science has still left us with unknown answers of known outstanding questions such as the origin of life and consciousness, future of our wellbeing, birth and death etc. Such unknowns, which are intimately connected to our lives, induce immense curiosity, which sometimes might be even discomforting. Religion tends to provide solace against such unknowns and therefore is important. But in contrast to the methodologies of doing research, religion accomplishes this objective through faith, prophecy or rituals. As long as it serves the broader interest of wellbeing of the mankind this should not be seen to be in conflict with science because the fundamental nature of both science and religions is based on tentativeness. We have learned from the history that as the new knowledge emerged, the unknowns transformed into knowns. This makes science and religion both as mutually coupled dynamic systems. For example, in the early part of the last century in many societies diseases and calamities were thought to be the curse of gods and goddesses but in many cases are now broadly accepted and dealt with in the realm of science. If science gives life a quality, religion might give a meaning when applied aptly.