India maps human genome, enters elite science league

New Delhi, Dec 8 : India has successfully mapped the human genome that will help develop effective drug development in the country, an achievement that puts the country among an elite league of six countries which have achieved the feat so far.

"This is a unique achievement in the field of science. The US, UK, China, Canada and (South) Korea are the other countries which have achieved it before us," Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan told reporters here.

"This genome sequencing sets the stage for India's entry to an elite club," he added.

The feat was achieved in less than two and half months time at a cost of USD 30,000 by a group of young scientists of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the top science research body of the country.