Resistant bacteria in petri dishes. Pic courtesy/The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

The event took a year of planning as facts and figures had to be collected. "The exhibition was originally showcased at London's Science Museum and was very successful. But we had to make it India-specific. So, since the population in the UK isn't as much as it is here, their records were perfect. For instance, they could give an exact figure to how many people used antibiotics in a given hospital. We don't have that kind of database so it was a big challenge. But ICMR is now exploring this area," says Samarendra Kumar, director (Hqrs), NCSM.

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Spread across 500 sq metres of the venue, the exhibition is divided into three sections: microscopic, human section and global. While the first delves into the millions of bacteria species — the harmless and the beneficial — the second talks about stakeholders ranging from scientists and doctors to pharmacists and the common people. The last section talks about the global spread of bacteria. Since the show continues for two months, activities such as public lectures, panel discussions and street plays are also being planned around it.

The exhibition at the National Science Centre in Delhi

"The idea is to give people a well-rounded perspective. Usually, they just visit a chemist to buy an antibiotic and continue a course. But they need to exercise caution. We hope it appeals to all age groups; we even have a puppet show for children," Kumar says, while SM Khened, director of NSC, adds, "This resistance is not a new phenomenon per se. Like all of us, bacteria also evolve and adapt. And it is the overuse or under-use that makes these microbes resistant. We need to look at the
way forward."

On December 18 to February 16, 11.30 am to 5.30 pm
At Nehru Science Centre, Dr E Moses Road, Worli.
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Samarendra Kumar

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