INFORMATION SOCIETY, INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT : A CONCEPTUAL APPROACH

Abstract

It is really nice that the Indian institute of Technology, Roorkee is playing host this year to the 21^st National Conference and Convention of the Society of Information Scientists (SIS). I must express my sincere gratitude to office-bearers of the SIS and the IIT, Roorkee for inviting me to deliver this year's Shri A.S.Raizada Memorial Lecture and [feel greatly honoured. When Dr. Yogendra Singh, Librarian, IIT, Roorkee and the Organizing Secretary, SIS-2003,extended the invitation to deliver this Lecture 1 readily agreed to do that mainly because of two reasons:firstly, late Shri A.S.Raizada was our student in Library Science in the University of Delhi during the early 1960s, and a brilliant student indeed who later on during his career exhibited a great vision and foresight as an information scientist; and, secondly,since its inception, SIS has been playing a commendable role in highlighting the vital role of information and information scientists in programmes of national development and reconstruction in this country. I may also add that any such invitation from IIT, Roorkee (earlier,Roorkee University) is always greatly welcomed by me simply because over the years I have been actively associated with its Central Library in different capacities.