definition of science fiction

There is a lot of debate and discussions amongst Indian sci fi writers over such a basic issue as what sci fi is realy about?In what best way it could be defined?There is no consensus as yet on the issue but I think that Asimov's views on the genre is crystal clear.I fully endorse his opinion that
Scifi is an imagined literary response to the impacts of science and technologoy on man himself and the society in days to come.It has nothing to do with our contemporary world but deals with a world not familiar to us but may become a reality some day.This is infact a deviding line between contemporary social fiction which is full of man's miseries of his present world and saga of future societies of the world.Fiction and fantasies both contribute to enrich this genre but they must have some science background.That is why despite all the fantastic elements
our many mythological stories especially stories in Hindu mythology depicting heavens and hells can not be grouped under sci fi genre,though they beautifully illustrates enchanting settings of worlds not familiar to us.They appear so unfamiliar that no amount of scientific and technological pregress can convert them into realities for us.More next.
Arvind