In the Year of Silver Jubilee, the NISSAT program comes to a close. This volume and issue of the Information Today and Tomorrow is the last one to be published under its banner.

Setting up of national information systems for S&T was a global initiative and it took a massive effort in terms of infrastructure, time and money, resource and design considerations, and involvement of both international and national experts. As recommended by the National Committee on Science and Technology (NCST), NISSAT was set up to play an important role in facilitating national development by way of information inputs to pure and applied research and higher learning efforts in the country. NISSAT has not only been a pioneer but also an agent of change facilitating diffusion of scientific and technical information (STI).

NISSAT activities were initially focused on a narrow band that included identification of existing resources, and nurturing these into national facilities in respective fields of specialization. Over the years, this focus shifted to assessment of nascent concepts and ideas, and to facilitation of diffusion of rapidly evolving tools, techniques, technologies and standards relevant to STI in the country. All along, the development of endogenous capacities in institutions and skill development through continuing education programs have been an integral part of NISSAT activities. What NISSAT was initially conceived to be and what shape it has taken as on today is radically different ­ the concluding portfolio of projects would explain this inference. NISSAT activities had to be broad-based unlike those of the sister programs most of which were conceived by the NISSAT itself. NISSAT has always been striving to play a purposeful, creative role.

During this long 25 years, NISSAT had received guidance and physical assistance from scores of individuals and institutions ­ the list is far too long to be presented here. We from the Secretariat gratefully acknowledge their love and unstinted interest in the growth and prosperity of NISSAT. We fervently hope that they would be with us in future also.

The Sun sets only to rise again bringing with it new possibilities, hope and happiness. AMEN!

— A. Lahiri

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Information Today & Tomorrow, Vol. 21, No. 3 & 4, September & December 2002, p.1-p.2
http://itt.nissat.tripod.com/itt02034/edtl02034.htm