Thiruvananthapuram: About 2,000 scientific and technical papers were presented during the 97th Indian Science Congress (ISC 2010) that concluded yesterday in the green campus of Kerala University here.

"I have not seen such a huge participation of scientists, technologists, research scholars, experts, policy-makers and students in the previous science congresses," ISC General President G. Madhavan Nair told reporters on its concluding day.

About 7,000 delegates, including 2,000 students from across the country, participated in the five-day mega event, held for the first time in this picturesque coastal city and for the second time in the southern state after two decades at Kochi in 1990.

About 40 plenary sessions in various disciplines of science, public lectures, parallel scientific and technical sessions, a science and technology expo and a Children's Science Congress were the highlights of the mega event that was unveiled by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on January 3, 2010.

Organised by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), with the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Kerala University as co-hosts, the focal theme of the mega event was "Science and Technology Challenges of 21st century - National Perspective".

Eminent scientists, including M.S. Swaminathan, father of India's first green revolution, former Atomic Energy Secretary Anil Kakodkar and Space Commission member Roddam Narasimhan delivered lectures at the plenary sessions.

Former scientist-president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, distinguished scientists M.G.K Menon and C.N.R. Rao and Nobel laureates Roger Tsien and John Cromwell Mather from the US made presentations.

Vice-chancellors of universities and educationists from across the country and abroad discussed the status and future perspectives of science education at the university meet on Tuesday.

A panel discussion on "Frontiers of Science and Technology in 21st century" was also held during the congress. IANS