Pakistani wins Oscar of Science and Technology world
Pakistani Athar Osama, who dreams of reviving the Golden Age of Islamic Science, has won an award at an event considered to be the Oscars of Science and Technology on Wednesday night at the UN Building, New York.
Osama has won the World Technology Network (WTN) award for Science and Innovation Media and Journalism from a breathtakingly talented group of people which included USAID Science Adviser Alex Dehgan.
“I feel so blessed to be recognised and honoured by the WTN among the elite of world’s science and technology leaders that will create the world of the future,” an excited Athar told The Express Tribune.
Osama – known for his pioneering work on introducing and popularising the ideas of science and innovation policy through journalism — visions to promote Muslim science through his online journal Muslim-Science.Com.
Osama has been writing extensively on important science and innovation policy themes since 1992, initially for leading English newspapers in Pakistan, and later in international general interest journals and online.
In his acceptance speech in front of an audience at a black-tie reception, he said “We all cannot hope to create a world that is more developed, better, and safer, if we exclude the 1.5 billion Muslims from the fruits of science and technology. Muslim-Science.Com is dedicated to make a contribution in that realm,” according to the released statement.
“It was immensely gratifying and exhilarating,” he added.
Osama received letters of support from COMSTECH Coordinator General Dr Attaur Rahman, Saudi Science Minister Dr Mohammed ibn Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel and Science Adviser to Malaysian Prime Minister Dr AH Zarki. Athar believes these letters were a significant factor in him winning this award.
He termed the launch of website Muslim-Science.Com as just the beginning. “Our hope is to launch a series of very interesting and important signature initiatives alongside the web portal that will make critical contributions in areas of greatest weaknesses in the science and innovation eco-system in the Islamic World,” Athar added in his speech.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2011.
COMMENTS (49)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
congratulations Sir.........
You have made all muslims proud.
it is a great achievement;but these are just the 1st steps;pakistan has to start doing more for education of their masses; here is what indian students are doing-http://www.samachar.com/IITKanpur-team-burnt-midnight-oil-to-script-Jugnus-success-lk4kKidceab.html
india is rightly trying to secure its future;there is no reason paksitan cant do it;but they have to provide oppurtunities for its coming generation;it has to root out terrorism , spend less on military, rein in mullahs or involve them in encouraging young to learn science than religion and refrain from teaching terror and hatred.
congratulation ,to my dear .sir u try ur best at all levels for all muslims
@Gordon Pasha:
it is a award in journalism, not science; he did not invent anything
bravo sir you have made all muslims and esp pakistanis proud. keep it up 103 GD(p)
Sir ather osama: BRAVO u have made proud to all muslims and esp Pakistanis. keep it up Sqn ldr Usman bashir 103 GD(p)
Are Muslims really 'excluded' from science/technological innovation or do the majority of Muslim countries simply devote precious little energy to such pursuits? Saudi Arabia's GDP should place it in the forefront of tech-investors/innovators but they're caught up wondering if women should drive/vote or not. A small country like Finland should have an airtight excuse to claim that it's 'excluded' from science but instead they have numerous telecoms innovations. Pakistan seems more interested in blasphemy laws than developing any new fiber-optic tech. Perhaps Mexico should make the claim that it's 'excluded' from science because of its drug cartel war. Did this guy actually innovate anything or did he simply trot out the usually happy-clappy bromides to make us all feel better? And claiming that Islamic civilization was the first to employ hospitals and universities is simply fatuous. Where's the Pakistani search engine or Pakistani innovation in particle physics? This message sent from an iPhone, indeed.
Makes me feel very proud of being a Pakistani.
What a good news
Congratulations.
Science doesn't need to be stamped with a prefix. There's no such thing as "Jewish" science or "Muslim" science.
Science is simply a method of investigating the reality of how our universe works. Reality is not subservient to our cultural sensibilities. The bacterium on your sleeve will evolve regardless of whether you personally believe in evolution or not, so keep all scientific investigation free from cultural and religious bias.
@dcomp: LOL I guess you do not know anything about this great man but knowing you are some Indian i would expect not. Dr Athar Osama is a graduate of Pardee RAND corporation which produces about 40 post-doctoral students every year. It's a prestigious institution and was also a prime contributor to US success in WW 2. Secondly, Athar is not a mere journalist but a policy adviser to OIC, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE,Pakistan, Malaysia and so on.Not only that he has a successful business in UK.
Stop being so jealous and try to do something in your pathetic little life brownie
@Author "World Technology Network (WTN) award for Science and Innovation Media and Journalism"
The headline is misleading for a couple of reasons: 1) The awards for science that are as prestigious as the Oscar (for movies) are called The Nobel Prize. 2) This particular award is for journalism NOT science. He wrote a paper about the contribution of Muslim people to science. He is not being felicitated for anything he invented. 3) The Oscar equivakent award for Journalism (since his is a journalism prize not science prize) is called the Pulitzer prize.
So I am glad this gentelman won this award but to compare it to Oscar and also imply that he won it for contribution to science is highly misleading.
A Scientist might be of a Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu confession but the Science for itself has nothing to do with such belief systems. Neither is relativity theory Jewish nor the light in our homes Atheist.
What cannot be proved, does not exist for the science. So the very notion of muslim science is absurd, because the fundamental of a religion is based upon the existence of God, which the science cannot prove.
He is not a scientist. He is great promoter of science and won the award in Publisher/Editor/Columnist, Muslim-Science.Com good job.
Simply Brilliant Mr. Athar! keep up the good work. We are proud of your achievements.
oh for god sakes, he got this award for his journalism(history of Islamic world in the field of science )...not for his own innovations in science and tech..in fact he has nothing to do with it....gross journalism just to keep up the spirit of Pakistan...
@Sadia: You should read his writtings before passing comments, his writings are not about past but about future and how to manage it. One should think before passing comments.
so living in the past gets you an award these days?
@Cynical, He is good Osama so please forgive him and one thing i dont understand indian take credit for all scientific achievments in the world same African take them like wise muslim does too and dont forget chinese too talk but in reallty we see by our own eyes west doing it. and same way every country history show them self super power ......
That's good to hear.
But what on earth is "Muslim Science"? The science muslims worked on centuries ago was the same as today's science. Now if we say "scientific achievements of the muslim empire", it would make sense. "Muslim science" means nothing.
In simple words it deals with the contribution mainly from Muslims .. hence the title as Muslim-Science .... providing a platform to Muslims to discuss and engage in scientific and innovative issues... here the founder is not terming or segregating science as Muslim Science or Christian Science .. he is humbly making an effort to bring Renaissance among Muslims who have lost their connection with Science! Hope its clear!!!
Anyways all the best to him, surely he has made Pakistan proud and has set an example ... rest of us also should try do something positive rather than pointing out minor things and making an issue out of them! Cheers.
MashaAllah! Every Muslim should make dua for a person who is reviving the lost 'Golden Age' of Islam and the World. It should be noted that the Islamic Civilization started the concept of universities, hospitals, and other great achievements which modern secular states celebrate today. The world owes a lot to Islam and its role in enlightening the world with ideas and science
I checked the website. Under the tab "Countries", I noticed some glaring exceptions wherein India, Bangladesh, Iraq & Afghanistan with sizable Muslim populations do not figure. Can someone elucidate please.
Congratulations on this recognition of your hard work. Hope this is a stepping stone for many to come.
All the readers who are only focussing on the title here, i would request you all to kindly read about it before criticizing. www.muslim-science.com is where you need to go and read... and understand what this is all about.... it is definitely not a different brand of science but a different study on science and innovation in Islamic World... :)
@Mast Maula: You need a lesson in history sir! Islam and science go way back. After Islam came, muslims went through a golden age where they contributed tremendously to technology and fields of medicine. This was the period where the europeans were still living in the stone age. Even if you dont believe, you still need to step out of narrow mind and appreciate the contributions of those muslims. It wasn't until the last 600 hundred years that muslims started to slack off, the results of which you are seeing today but that still doesnt mean you can take the credit of islam from advances made in the world of science and technology.
AlhamduliLah.... may Allah watch over you and your hard work... may those who do not have the insight to understand your belief be blessed by Almighty for the same... ameen.
@Mast Maula: Did you even try to check the website? Do you maintain same reasoning for "Christian" science monitor? Please try to evaluate without any prejudice. Neither Christian Science Monitor make the science Christian nor Muslim-Science.com make it Muslim!
Congratulations.
First the Sword of Honor and now this... Way to go Ather Bhai... you made us Muslims... Pakistani's proud... We as a nation should be thankful to you. Keep it up.
Mast Maula Sahib, Have you bothered to read his website or do you even know what this all about? Do you even know what is this research all about? or you just woke up this morning and read the big headline and passed a remark....you need to join some serious school that tells you that u need to do ur back ground reading first before commenting on anyone.
it is such a shame that people only read headlines here and never bother to read the real stuff.. come out of ur world of books with lots of big words and good pictures!
This is real world, and this is a real victory for a real purpose and research that this man did, while u were busy reading fairy tales.
A Moment of Pride!
That's really great and honour for the muslim world. Muslims history in the development of science and technology which has resulted in todays achievements in modern science and astronomy, must be exposed to new generation. Congratulations to Athar Osama for winning this award and launching a website Muslim-Science.Com.
pakistan has massive talent ..
Oh great news Dr. Osama! A well deserved win. I hope no fools here spoil this moment of immense pride and joy for Pakistanis and Muslims by not understanding and/or reading about your work and concept behind Muslim Science by putting in their own narrow minded, single track thinking like they did on your nomination.
You have made Pakistan proud. May Allah bless you.
It is strange that people are dividing science as Muslim Science, Jewish Science and Hindu Science. I do not think scientific mindset will allow such a categorization. Scientific method is totally at odds with religious one as it relies on doubt and rationality while religion is all about faith and belief.
Muslim science is no match for Jewish science!! scoffs
Something to feel good about!
We need more men in science and technology than we do at tribal areas! You have done us proud Osama Ather. Thanks to ET for letting us get in direct touch with and read such people and their blog.
So we got an award for living in the past :(
I personally know Athar, the award could not have been given to a more deserving person.
It is really great, it is not u deserve the congratulation but nation, so u r proud of it. keep it up.
I have a firm believe that 99.99 per cent Pakistanis are as good and achievers as who put them down.
Way to go. He should be our role model. Not the turban wearing, bearded gin-totting soldiers of Islam.
Good I fell proud to be Pakistani. We need to recover from the one thousand year sleep. Islam has must free itself from the dogmatic, unscientific backward thinking. We need a Ibn Sina now.
Congrats to Athar Osama! I do not think we should be putting labels on science and segregating it. There is no such thing as 'Muslim science', or Christian, Jewish, Atheistic or Pagan science for that matter. The spread of scientific knowledge and research among Muslims, is however a much better description of what Mr. Osama and his organization is striving for - judging by the About page on his website.
bravo!!way to go only science and education can make the islamic world at par with the rest of the world
You made my day. What a feeling! It's my fault, I was ignorant. I knew there were Christian science,Jew science,Hindu science,Budhist science and other assorted types . But didn't know that there is also a brand of science that is very much our own, Islamic science. Again, it's my fault.