'Child prodigy' foreign trip triggers row

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 7. A controversy has arisen over the Government's decision to include the ``child prodigy'', Thataghat Avtar Tulsi of Patna in the delegation of young scientists who were sent to Germany in June for an interaction with Nobel laureates in physics.

Some scientists in the delegation have reportedly complained that the boy and his father, who accompanied him, had only used the trip for self-publicity, making a nuisance of themselves before the Nobel laureates and bringing disgrace to Indian science.

According to an agency report, Prof. V.S. Ramamurthy, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, which had organised the trip, has admitted that it had made a blunder by including Thataghat Tulsi in the delegation. While Prof. Ramamurthy was not available for comment, the Joint Secretary in the Department, Mr. Amitabha Pande, denied that the Department had made any mistake.

He said ``Thataghat may not be as great as being made out by his father. But, he is certainly more knowledgeable than many children of his age''. Mr. Pande also refuted allegations that Thataghat's name was added at the last moment. It was true that he was not part of the first list of 16. But, his name was not included without proper verification. He underwent the same selection process as any other scientist who was part of the delegation, Mr. Pande added.

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