Basic Science is also called fundamental science or pure science. Research in basic science is the foundation for applied and translational research. It provides us the fundamental knowledge and understanding of the natural phenomena and the needed knowhow to have advances in development of newer approaches, tools, and techniques for solving the real-life problems being faced. Basic science research helps generating novel ideas, principles and theories that may not have immediate applications, but accumulation of such knowledge can only lead to subsequent generation of useful applications in the long run through development of products and processes. Applied science research depends immensely on the fundamental principles developed through basic science research. Hence, one cannot think of advancement of science, as a whole, without emphasising on basic science research. In fact, there should be a close interface between basic and applied sciences.

            Although most of the innovations are the product of applied science research, basic research is a prerequisite to almost all applied science research. It has been documented that about 76% of basic research is conducted at the universities world over. However, in the recent time, in most of the developing countries like India basic science research is facing great challenges owing to various reasons, including shifting of priority of government funding towards applied and translational research, lack of fascination for the researchers in exploring fundamental science, long duration required for achieving notable milestones in research, failure to draw attention and get recognised by the masses, etc., to name a few. In our country also, most of the funding towards scientific research is now diverted to applied and translational research due to the latest shift in priorities of the funding agencies. Everybody wants that a research funding should lead to development of certain product or process that may have immediate use so that it may have some commercial value. However, we cannot forget that it may require a very long course of research starting with our understanding of the fundamental aspects of the problem through novel approaches, tools and techniques in order to finally have a useful product or process that may eventually be commercialized.

            It is, therefore, expected that basic science research continues to get adequate attention from the policy makers and the grant providers in the interest of overall growth and development of our country.