New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday released the genome sequencing data of 10,000 Indian nationals. Congratulating all the stakeholders involved in the project, the Prime Minister said that this project would prove to be a milestone in the field of biotechnology research.
said that this project would prove to be a milestone in the field of biotechnology research. The ‘Genome India Data’, that represents the genetic diversity in the country, will be available to researchers at the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) through “managed access”.
In a video message at the start of the ‘Genome India Project’, Prime Minister said that India had taken a historic step in the field of research and the project was approved five years ago and scientists have diligently worked and completed the project despite the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic.
He mentioned that more than 20 illustrious research institutions such as IISc, IITs, CSIR and DBT-BRIC have played a major role in this research.
The Prime Minister said that the data consisting of the genome sequences of 10,000 Indians was now available at the Indian Biological Data Center.
“Genome India Project is an important milestone in the biotechnology revolution,” he said, noting that this project has successfully created a diverse genetic resource by sequencing the genomes of 10,000 individuals from various populations.
He noted that this data will now be available to scientists and researchers, aiding scholars in understanding India’s genetic landscape. He emphasised that this information will greatly assist in policy-making and planning for the country.
Addressing the experts and scientists and emphasising India’s vastness and diversity, not just in food, language, and geography, but also in the genetic makeup of its people, the Prime Minister stated that the nature of diseases varies greatly, making it essential to understand the genetic identity of the population to determine effective treatments.
Highlighting the significant challenge of sickle cell anemia in the tribal communities and the national mission to combat it, he noted that the problem might differ across regions, and a complete genetic study is necessary to understand the unique genomic patterns of the Indian population.
The Prime Minister stressed that this understanding will help develop specific solutions and effective medicines for particular groups and emphasised that the scope is much broader and sickle cell anaemia was just an example.
The Prime Minister underlined there was lack of awareness in India about many genetic diseases that are passed from one generation to another and the ‘Genome India Project’ would aid in developing effective treatments for all such diseases in India.
“The combination of biotechnology and biomass in the 21st century forms a crucial foundation for a developed India as a Bio Economy,” Modi said. He noted that the goal of Bio Economy is the optimal use of natural resources, promotion of bio-based products and services, and creation of new employment opportunities in this sector.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the Bio Economy accelerates sustainable development and innovation and India’s Bio Economy has grown rapidly over the past decade, from $10 billion in 2014 to over $150 billion today.
