IIT Bhubaneswar faculty ad in newspapers (Deadline: 31st July 2009)

Add comment June 30th, 2009

Faculty openings at IIT Bhubaneswar (Application Deadline – 31st July 2009)

Following is from http://www.iitbbs.ac.in/notice/notice.php?sr_no=7. The application form is at http://www.iitbbs.ac.in/notice/notice.php?sr_no=8. These were posted in the IIT Bhubaneswar electronic Notice Board at http://www.iitbbs.ac.in/notice/index.php.

IIT Bhubaneswar invites applications for faculty positions at the level of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in the following disciplines.

Disciplines : Civil Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Humanities & Social Sciences (Economics, English, Psychology)

Ph.D. with first class or equivalent in the preceding degree in appropriate branch and evidence of the ability to pursue independent high quality research. 

Professor : At least 10 years teaching / research / industrial experience of which 5 years should be at the level of Assistant Professor or 3 years as Associate Professor.

Associate Professor : At least 8 years teaching / research / industrial experience of which 3 years should be at the level of Assistant Professor

Professor                   : Rs. 18400-500-22400/-

Associate Professor            : Rs. 16400-450-20000/-

Assistant Professor             : Rs. 12000-420-18300/-

Full funding for attending national conferences either for presenting a paper or chairing a session as per Institute guidelines.

Financial assistance up to Rs.1.00 lakh once in 3 years for attending International conferences either for presenting a paper or chairing a session as per Institute guidelines.

Reimbursement of 75% of membership fee of one international professional society every year.

Book grant of Rs. 4000/- per annum.

Reimbursement of telephone charges up to Rs.750 per month.

Reimbursement of relocation charges from within India to the faculty members at the time of their joining.

Honorarium of Rs. 15,000/- per month to the teachers who have obtained Bhatnagar Award OR are having fellowship of at least two National Academies. A faculty member is entitled for only one of the two honoraria.

Interested candidates may apply enclosing

•     Curriculum Vitae.

•     List of Publications (with reprints of important publications).

•    Names and Addresses (with e-mail address and fax numbers) of at least three referees.

•     Any other details relevant to the candidature.

•     Reservation for SC/ST/OBC/PH as per Government of India rules.

• Minimum requirement of experience may be relaxed in respect of outstanding candidates.

•     Mere eligibility will not vest any right on any candidate for being called for interview. The decision of the Institute in all matters will be final. No correspondence will be entertained from the candidates in connection with the process of selection / interview. Canvassing in any manner would entail disqualification of the candidature.

·         The Institute reserves the right to call only the requisite number of candidates for interview after shortlisting with reference to the candidate’s qualification, suitability, experience, etc.

·         The candidates should be preferably below 35 years of age for the post of Assistant Professor

•     The Institute reserves the right to fill or not to fill any or all the posts advertised.

·         Candidates possessing the requisite qualification & experience may submit their application on the prescribed form to the Registrar, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Samantapuri, Bhubaneswar – 751013 (email : registrar@iitbbs.ac.in).

·         NO INTERIM ENQUIRIES WILL BE ENTERTAINED.

Download Application Form

Application form can be downloaded from the Institute website (www.iitbbs.ac.in). The candidates applying from Government Organizations and Public Sector Undertaking should have their applications duly forwarded by their present employer. Applicants desiring to apply for more than one discipline should send separate application for each discipline.

Last Date for receipt of completed application forms: 31^st July 2009.

Add comment June 29th, 2009

IIT Bhubaneswar student and faculty housing

The following pictures are from the blog of a couple of IIT Bhubaneswar first batch students. (Thanks to Pradosh, who took the pictures.)

2 comments June 25th, 2009

Latest information on Sri Sri University and AOLHET

Update: I talked to one of persons associated with AOLHET. He said that AOLHET is the US arm of Sri Sri University and its main goal is to raise $250 million (about Rs 1200 crores) for the Sri Sri University. He said many of the trustee members listed below have significant experience in fund raising for a university. With a budget like that, the freedom from government by virtue of being a private university,  the world wide admiration and visibility of Sri Sri Ravishankar, and the world-wide network of Art of Living, this university could challenge the proposed National University in Bhubaneswar.

I stumbled across a new site for this at http://aolhet.com. AOLHET is Art of Living Health and Education Trust. It has more up-to-date information. From the pages there we have the following information. 

Trustees: 

Dr. Alfred Balitzer, former United States Special Ambassador to Brunei and Professor of American government, political philosophy and U.S.-Asia relations at Claremont McKenna College, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET

Mr. Raj Shah, Chairman and CEO of Capital Surini Group International, Inc. and Capital Technology Information Services, Inc., is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET

Dr. Salim Aziz, a Cardiothoracic and Thoracic Surgeon and CEO and Medical Director of Capitol Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Associates and Millennium Scan International, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET

Mr. Jeffrey Houk, Board Member of the Art of Living Foundations, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET

Dr. Dean Harmison, a Specialist in General Dentistry, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET

Dr. Raman Poola, a physician specializing in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET

Mr. Arif Diwan, President and Founder of WILLIGENT Corporation and Managing Director and General Partner at Chrimatos Investments, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET

Faculty/Staff

Dr. TN Seshan, former Chief Election Commissioner of India (1990 – 1996) is the President Designate of Sri Sri University

Dr. S Ramaratnam is Vice Chancellor Designate of Sri Sri University

Dr. NV Vasani, Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Nirma University is on the Advisory Board of Sri Sri University

Mr. S.B. Ganguly, Chairman of Exide Industries, is on the Advisory Board of Sri Sri University

Colleges, Academic Departments and Programs

• College of Management
Bachelor’s degree (2 years); students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
   Marketing
   Business Management
   Human Resources
   Banking and Finance

• College of Arts and Humanities
Bachelor’s degree (2 years); students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
   Cultural Studies and Anthropology
   Performing Arts

• College of Government
Bachelor’s degree (2 years) and Master’s degree (2 years)

• College of Mass Communication
Master’s degree (2 years)

• College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Master’s degree (2 years)

• College of Biological and Environmental Sciences
Master’s degree (2 years); Students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
  Sustainable Development
  Pharmacology
  Agriculture
  Biotechnology

• College of Material and Transportation Sciences
Master’s degree (2 years); students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
   Textile Sciences
   Transportation Sciences

• College of Engineering
Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years); Students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
   Electronics and Telecommunications
   Computer Sciences
   Information Technology
   Mechanical Engineering
   Electrical Engineering
   Instrumentation
   Electronics and Electrical Engineering
   Civil Engineering

• College of Ayurveda
Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years)

• College of Vedic Sciences
Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years)

• College of Mathematics and Physical Sciences
Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years); Students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
   Physical Sciences
   Chemistry
   Mathematics

• College of Medicine
Medical Doctoral degree (4 years)

• College of Law
Bachelor’s in Civil Law degree (5 years).

Sri Sri University

Sri Sri University will provide a unique educational experience that blends academic and personal development, which will nurture, educate, and empower students to become leaders in public service. A world-class academic institution, the University will feature multidisciplinary curricula to promote the pursuit of truth through educational and spiritual empowerment. Unparalleled didactics coupled with self-reflection will prepare students of all cultures and creeds for personal and professional excellence globally. A key objective of Sri Sri University is to foster scholarship and collegiality among its students, to inspire them to advance knowledge, to promote understanding, and to serve humanity.

The Art of Living Foundation and the Government of Orissa signed a Memorandum of Understanding on December 18, 2006 to establish a full-fledged multidisciplinary university near the state capital, Bhubaneswar within two to three years. The goal of the university would be to provide holistic education that is firmly embedded in Indian culture and ethos to the global leaders of tomorrow. Admission into the university will be based on merit alone, which will be assessed based on an entrance examination. Admission into the proposed varsity will be open to Indian as well as foreign nationals.

The proposed campus is being constructed in approximately 186 acres of land along the banks of the Mahanadi River in Naraj, about 20 miles from Bhubaneswar. The campus will include academic buildings, recreational facilities, meditation halls, and a sports complex. It will be designed to cater to the needs of 1,500 faculty members, an equal number of non-academic staff members, and 15,000 students. In 2007, the international consulting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu was appointed to chart the strategic plans for Sri Sri University. Under the execution plan developed by Deloitte, Sri Sri University will establish the following colleges between 2009 and 2014:

Year 1: Management, Law, Government
Year 2: Mass Communication, Cultural Studies
Year 3: Engineering, Medicine
Year 4: Ayurveda, Vedic Sciences, Biotechnology
Year 5: Research Sciences

A Sri Sri University education will seek to inspire students to explore, create, serve and lead. 

Sri Sri University Teaching Hospital

The goal of the Sri Sri University Teaching Hospital is to provide primary, preventive and educational healthcare. The Teaching Hospital will offer state-of-the-art, affordable medical care to communities in underserved areas by using an integrated approach that combines traditional health care and modern technology.

       In the period between 2009 and 2014 the Art of Living Health and Education Trust aims to:      

 • Design and construct the Sri Sri University Teaching Hospital with specialized facilities on campus;

 • Build 25 primary care satellite clinics in locations determined by a feasibility study, to be conducted in 2008-2009;

 • Offer telemedicine services in primary care clinics with the capability to transfer patients with specialized medical needs to appropriately staffed and equipped clinics;

• Emphasize community-driven development through the International Association for Human Values’ 5H program [Health,Hygiene, Homes, Harmony in Diversity, Human Values]; and

• Develop a replication strategy using the design, construction, and operations of the Sri Sri University Teaching Hospital
as a prototype, in collaboration with other NGOs and charitable organizations, to extend the His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision of affordable primary, preventive and educational healthcare to other parts of the world.

Campus

”Home to more than 15,000 students and 1,500 academic faculty from around the world, Sri Sri University campus will be located less than 15 miles from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa.

1 comment June 24th, 2009

OUAT also Offers MCA, MBA (Agri-Business Management), M.Sc (Bioinformatics) and M.Sc (Microbiology): Ad in Samaja

Add comment June 23rd, 2009

Tradewings Bhubaneswar: Offers Diploma in Airlines and Toursim Management (Ad. in Dharitri)

Add comment June 22nd, 2009

XIM Bhubaneswar unveils a new 7 story academic block next to Fortune Tower

Following is an excerpt from a report in Indiaeducationdiary.

The Chief Minister of Orissa, Shri. Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the new academic block of the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) this morning. XIMB which has been consistently ranked as one of the finest business schools in India has achieved yet another milestone with this new infrastructural development keeping in mind the future demands of management education. …

Speaking to a gathering of more than 800 people, Shri.Patnaik felt that XIMB as an Institute has a lot to offer and congratulated the leadership at XIMB for ensuring continued success and development for the society through the social developmental activities carried out by XIMB.

This new academic block is a seven storied beautiful building and is adjacent to the Fortune Towers which houses major companies operating in Orissa. Standing tall along side the Fortune Towers, the XIMB’s new academic block also provides a glimpse of the changing industrial scenario of Orissa and points to the development that the state is making with regard to business education, commerce and industry. The new academic block has a built up area of 45,875 square feet and has been constructed at an estimated cost of 6.5 crores. It has 23 Faculty rooms, 6 lecture halls with a seating capacity for 60 students each, 4 lecture halls with a seating capacity for 70 students each and two lecture halls with a seating capacity for 120 students each. Besides these facilities, the new academic block also has a board room, a conference room and an examination hall with a seating capacity for 250 students. …

2 comments June 22nd, 2009

Institute of Mathematics & Applications (Bhubaneswar) advertises for 5 faculty positions

Add comment June 21st, 2009

NKC member and JNU Professor Amitabh Mattoo mentions the idea of creation of five knowledge cities in India

Following is an excerpt from his article in Telegraph.

Finally, of course, the HRD ministry must think in terms of a few grand projects which can become models to be emulated in the years to come. The possibility of creating five knowledge cities in different parts of the country in the next five years must be seriously examined. While those would need a private-public partnership, and even the creation of a special purpose vehicle, the HRD ministry could invite state governments to become partners and provide real incentives. Education and skill development, as the prime minister has repeatedly said, can be India’s global opportunity. The time has come now to translate that opportunity into reality, within the term of this government.

The author, a former vice-chancellor and member of the National Knowledge Commission, is professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Orissa should lobby hard for Bhubaneswar to be one of those cities.  The pages http://iitbbsr.orissalinks.com/bbsr.htm and http://iitbbsr.orissalinks.com/future.htm have the arguments that the Orissa government can use.

Add comment June 20th, 2009

Proposed Jagadguru Kripalu University for Spiritual Sciences (Naraj-Banki Rd) – recent progress

Update: I am now told that the location is two km after CISF Mundali, towards Banki on the Cuttack-Banki road. The postal location is Mouza Banara, Tahasil Dumpada, District Cuttack. From Chandni Chowk, Cuttack it is 13 km. And from Oberoi Hotel, BBSR, it is 29 km.

It now has its own web page. The web page has some nice drawings and overview of the university.  We copy them here.

Introduction

A unique University that will train highly qualified Spiritual and Yog teachers for spreading the true and ancient science of "Yog" around the world will be built in the state of Orissa. The project will be a part of a spiritual community that will include a Gurukul, a Yog & Naturopathy Health Care Center, a Yogashram, a Charitable Hospital, and Organic cultivation farms.

The proposed university will be developed at Banki, near Cuttack, Orissa, in multiple stages. In the first stage, 110 acres of land has been finalised, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Trust and the Government of Orissa.

Objectives of the Proposed University

• To Prepare Qualified teachers, who can then go to schools, colleges and industrial houses to teach the sciences of Spirituality, Yog and Mind management. At present, everyone realizes the imbalance in the education system, due to lack of spiritual education.

• Introduction of moral education in all educational institutions. The creation of a qualified class of spiritual teachers will enable the introduction of spiritual education in society.

• To give the spiritually-minded youth a chance to make a career in spirituality, by enabling them to earn a degree, and utilize it for teaching jobs.

• To enable character building through higher education.

• To reinforce ethics and morals so that the students may pass these on to the society at large.

• For the upliftment of the underprivileged segments of society, free education and financial support will be given to 25 percent students from such segments of society.

• The Proposed University will set a role model for the Universities of the country, in building the moral character of the people.

Courses Offered at the Proposed University

• Bachelors and Masters in Yogic Sciences.

• Bachelors and Masters in Vedic Sciences.

• Teachers, Professors and Principals re-orientation programmes, with special emphasis on Morals and Ethics.

• Bachelors and Masters in Naturopathy.

• Bachelors and Masters in Bhakti Yog, in accordance with the philosophy of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj.

• Research work – Doctorate – in Naturopathy, Vedic Sciences, Bhakti and Yogic Sciences.

• One year diploma courses in all the above.

• One month introductory courses in all the above.  

• One month Yog instructors course.

• Karm-kand training courses for priests for temples in India and abroad.

• Orientation programmes for Doctors in Yog Therapy.

Secular Courses- The students will also get an opportunity to do non-spiritual courses that offer the maximum job opportunities in the modern world, such as Information Technology and Business Management. This will enable them to get excellent careers in secular fields, if they so desire.

Related Projects:

Yoga Therapy and Naturopathy Healthcare Centre.  It will attract outdoor patients from nearby towns and also neighboring villages. Also, indoor patients desirous of benefiting from yog therapy.

Gurukul. Will train children from childhood in the life of purity, charity, austerity, and spiritual knowledge.

Yogashram. Yoga shibirs will be conducted for the general public, for members, and for industrial houses.  Such shibirs will be of 3 days duration, one week duration, two weeks duration and four weeks duration.

Old-age home. Devotionally minded people, who are leading a retired life, will be invited to come and stay in a spiritual environment.  They will also be given an opportunity to lend voluntary seva in the above projects, and will form the manpower base for the project.

Hospital.  The villagers of the nearby Banara village have demanded a hospital for them.  Such a hospital, equipped with modern facilities will be built, to provide medical aid to everyone residing within 10 kilometers of the ashram.

4 comments June 19th, 2009

No politics on AIIMS (like institute) Bhubaneswar please!

Update2: Pioneer reports the Orissa health minister saying that the state has been extremely co-operative on AIIMS and the allegations of Mr. Azad is baseless. The good news is that there has been some progress in the ground and

• Out of the 14 blocks of the AIIMS, the roof works of eight blocks have already been completed.
• An alternative road has already been constructed for the Sijua village and 90 per cent work has already been completed.
• Steps have been taken to remove the high-voltage transmission line.

Following is from Samaja:

Update: TOI reports that Mr. Azad went to the AIIMS site and asked the project manager to  work in three shifts and said that he will be monitoring the project every month. The first good news is that there is a project manager and some work is actually going on.

The Central Cabinet minister of Health Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad is visiting Orissa. His answers on the lack of progress with respect to  AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar is shocking. This institute foundation stone was laid by then PM Vajapayee prior to 2004 during the NDA government. Since then many reports have been made and tenders have been floated which we have been tracking here. And now Mr. Azad comes and blames the state government to hide the incompetency of the central Minitry of Health in making any progress. Note that the issue of tardy or zero progress on the AIIMS has been raised multiple times earlier, including many times in the parliament and someone even made a high court case in Bihar and this is the first time the state government is being partially blamed.

This is terrible. Mr. Azad should not play politics on such an importance issue and make sure tha the AIIMS-like institute is constructed as soon as posisble. Following are excerpts from a report in Business Standard which gives indication regarding the politics being played by Mr. Azad.

”I will review the progress in all the new AIIMS projects, including the one proposed to be constructed in Bhubanewar, to ensure these are ready in about three years. I will also speak to the construction agency,” Azad said.     

Claiming that the steps taken by the state government for the ambitious Rs 820 crore project were slow and sluggish, Azad added that though the detailed project report for the Orissa AIIMS was ready proper land demarcation was yet to be completed.     

The state should take quick steps to remove the high power transmission line at the site along with unauthorised structures and a small village relocated, the minister said.     

On its part, the Centre was taking steps to bring momentum to the project, Azad informed adding he had spoken to Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh about the need for clearance to about 90 acres of the proposed AIIMS site here.     

”Since Orissa badly needs an AIIMS, we are taking all steps to ensure that the project becomes operational at the earliest,” he said.To improve the health care facilities in Orissa, both the Centre and the state government must initiate steps for early completion of AIIMS here, Azad said.    

Following is my email to the PMO and Mr. Azad on this topic.

Dear Esteemed Prime Minister and Health Minister:

Please do not play politics on the AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar.

The foundation stone of this institute in Bhubaneswar was laid in 2003. In between 5 years of UPA government rule has passed in Delhi and nothing visible (beyond a boundary wall) has happened.

For the last 5 years, people of Orissa, representatives of Orissa (both MLAs, MPs), and Orissa CM have raised this issue and of no avail. In response to various parliament questions your ministers have always given one excuse or other for the delay.

And now for the first time Mr. Azad comes to Bhubaneswar and lays blame on the state government. (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/centre-to-setnew-aiims-branches-in-three-years/64962/on ). This is playing politics on peoples lives and their health.

While the UPA government made a lot of progress on many fields (such as starting of classes on the new IITs, RTI, NREGS etc.) it has been grossly incompetent on the AIIMS issue.

To solve a problem, one must first admit that there is a problem. Please admit that your health ministry has been grossly incompetent and start over from there.

Please don’t play politics with people’s lives and their health. Please start the AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar as soon as possible and to compensate for the delay as well as to take care of the backward areas of Orissa please immediately upgrade one of the exisiting medical college in the backward Western or Southern Orissa (one in Behampur or Burla) to the AIIMS level.

In West Bengal your are making a new AIIMS as well as upgrading Calcutta Medical College. In UP you will have a new AIIMS and are upgrading 3 medical colleges to AIIMS level.

In Mahasrashtra, Tamil Nadu, J&K and Andhra Pradesh you are upgrading two medical colleges to the AIIMS level. All these has been compiled from your web sites and PIBs and put together at http://www.orissalinks.com/archives/2111 .

Why not in Orissa? I sincerely hope that it is not because you had or have friendly governments in West Bengal, Mahasrashtra, Tamil Nadu, J&K and Andhra Pradesh and are eyeing UP and don’t really care about Orissa and its people?

Why do some other states get a new AIIMS as well as upgradation of multiple medical colleges to AIIMS level, and some get multiple upgradations to AIIMS level, while in Orissa no progress has happened for 5 years with respect to an announced AIIMS?

Sirs: Please pray tell us if this is not neglecting Orissa, what is?

Sirs: I again beg; Please do not play politics with people’s lives and health. Please expedite the establishment of AIIMS in Bhubaneswar and upgrade an exisiting medical college in the backward region of Orissa to the AIIMS level.

sincerely,

Chitta Baral

8 comments June 18th, 2009

Dharitri says that the Abhinna Chandra Homeopathy medical college in Bhubaneswar is to have AIIMS like facilities

Update: A tathya.in article says the following:

With setting up of an All India Institute of Homeopathic Science(AIIHS) in Orissa, Minister Health & Family Welfare is hoping to make this system of medicine will be more popular among the people. Mr.Achrya revealed here on 26 June that the State Government has posed for this institution to the Centre. Recently we have sent a proposal to the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), revealed Mr.Achrya. AYUSH is setting up All India institutions of Ayurveda and Homeopathy in various parts of the country. Keeping this in view, Orissa has sent the proposal entailing an investment of Rs.60-70 crores for the institution, said the Minister.

Note that in January 2008 the cabinet took decision to establish an All India Institute of Aurveda in New Delhi. See also this report in Hindu and this report in thaiindian.

Dharitri below mentions that it is one of the 5 such institutions that have been picked.  On the other hand the site http://www.indianmedicine.nic.in/national-institute.asp lists the existing national institutes under the Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy). They are:

• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AYURVEDA (NIA) JAIPUR.
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SIDDHA (NIS), CHENNAI
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HOMOEOPATHY, KOLKATA
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NATUROPATHY, PUNE
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF UNANI MEDICINE, BANGALORE
• INSTITUTE OF POST GRADUATE TEACHING & RESEARCH IN AYURVEDA, JAMNAGAR (GUJARAT)
• RASHTRIYA AYURVED VIDYAPEETH, NEW DELHI
• Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi
  

Following is the report from Dharitri.

Add comment June 17th, 2009