InnoCentive Sponsors the 91st Indian Science Congress.

Business Editors/Science Writers/Health/Medical Writers/High-Tech

Writers

CHANDIGARH, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2004

InnoCentive(R) is honored to sponsor the 91st Indian Science Congress, held at Panjab University, Chandigarh from Jan. 3 - 7, 2004. The conference, established by the India Science Congress Association (ISCA) in 1914, provides a high-level discussion on science and technology development in India. The theme for this year's conference is "Science and Society in the 21st Century - Quest for Excellence."

Honorable Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee inaugurated the Indian Science Congress. Professor Asis Dutta, a former vice chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, heads the association. The congress sessions have been divided into 14 sections, including agriculture and forestry, animal, veterinary and fisheries, anthropology, chemical engineering, environmental, information communication and technology, mathematics, medical, new biology, physical and plant.

"InnoCentive's participation in the Indian Science Congress will help us further tap the vast scientific talent pool in India, especially in the fields of chemistry, materials science, biology and biochemistry," said Ali Hussein, vice president of marketing at InnoCentive. "India, along with China and Russia, is an integral component of our worldwide scientific community, and we are thrilled to be part of this prestigious conference."

Launched in 2001, InnoCentive is the first online forum that brings together leading global corporations and scientists from across the globe to solve tough R&D challenges. Global companies, including BASF, Dow Chemical, Syngenta and Procter & Gamble, post their tough R&D problems confidentially on the InnoCentive Web site where more than 50,000 leading scientists and researchers (known as Solvers) in over 150 countries can solve them. Scientists who deliver solutions that best meet InnoCentive's Challenge requirements receive a financial award for their work, ranging up to USD $100,000.

InnoCentive's recently formed India Advisory Board is comprised of renowned leaders in corporate, academic and government R&D laboratories. The advisory board plays a key role as InnoCentive continues to grow the world's largest virtual laboratory where scientists, regardless of their location, nationality or title, are rewarded for their scientific ingenuity.

The following members comprise InnoCentive's India Advisory Board:

-- Professor M.M. Sharma, fellow of The Royal Society, United

Kingdom - Professor Sharma was the first Professor of Chemical

Engineering to be named Director of University Institute of

Chemical Technology, as well as the first Indian engineer to

be elected as a fellow of The Royal Society, UK.

-- Dr. S. Sivaram, director, National Chemical Laboratory, CSIR 

- Dr. Sivaram holds 75 patent applications and has received

numerous industry awards and honors, including the Millennium

Medal of the Indian Science Congress Association.

-- Dr. A.V. Rama Rao, chairman and managing director of AVRA

Laboratories - Dr. Rama Rao is one of the most distinguished

scientists in the field of organic chemistry, having developed

more than 50 drug technologies commercialized by the

pharmaceutical industry.

-- Dr. S. Ranganathan, emeritus scientist, Indian Institute of

Chemical Technology - Dr. Ranganathan is an honorary professor

at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, a

premier R&D institute that has made significant contributions

in the fields of chemical sciences and technology.

New Challenges are continually being posted to the InnoCentive Web site and can be viewed at www.innocentive.com/challenges.

About InnoCentive

InnoCentive is the first online forum that allows world-class scientists and science-based companies to collaborate in a global scientific community to achieve innovative solutions to complex challenges. InnoCentive is an e-business company of Eli Lilly and Company, a leading innovation-driven pharmaceutical company. To learn more and to register as an InnoCentive Solver, visit the InnoCentive Web site at www.innocentive.com.

InnoCentive is a registered trademark of InnoCentive, Inc. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.