TIFR e-booklet on various scientific research institutes in India

TIFR has a nice e-booklet on various scientific research institutes in India.

Add comment March 31st, 2007

RRL (Regional Research Laboratory) in Bhubaneswar “upgraded” to Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT)

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) aims to provide scientific industrial R & D. It had many central, national and regional research laboratories, including a regional research laboratory (RRL) in Bhubaneswar. In early March the name of all the five RRLs in Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Bhopal, Johrhat and Trivendrum have been changed.

* RRL Bhubaneswar’s name has been changed to Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT).

Continue Reading 28 comments March 31st, 2007

Orissa government did send a formal KBK Central University proposal to the center

Samaja reports that the Orissa Chief minister sent a formal proposal on a KBK Adivasi Central University to the central government on December 23rd 2006.

Earlier, the CM had brought up the issue of a central University in KBK with the HRD minister on Oct 24 2005. (See http://rc.orissa.gov.in/index3.asp?linkid=30&sublinkid=133)
The MPs Mr. Panda and Ms. Bohidar had asked a question on it in the Rajya Sabha on 19.12.2005 ( See http://164.100.24.219/rsquestion/ShowQn.aspx?qno=109522 ).

Add comment March 30th, 2007

Letter from the Vedanta University project CEO

Dear Friend,

We are pleased to share with you, as well wishers of the proposed Vedanta University in Orissa, the developments to-date and our objectives in the project. The Vedanta University will be established in the state of Orissa, along the Puri-Konark highway.

We recall with pride the glorious past when Orissa had Ratnagiri University, known around the world. With the active support, encouragement and good wishes from all of you through your
constructive communication in the various blogs, e-mails and internet communications, we are confident of making Orissa once again a globally recognised center for higher learning.

Anil Agarwal Foundation, a “not for profit” institution, has been founded by Mr. Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta Resources Plc, London, for making a significant contribution to a core requirement of India viz. Education.

Continue Reading 2 comments March 30th, 2007

IIT issue rocks Orissa Legislative assembly (OLA)

The IIT issue rocked OLA yesterday. Some BJP legislators were very vocal about it and said they were fed up with the central government’s negelect with respect to higher education locations. In jest, some even suggested that Orissa should have an economic blockade against the center as suggested by Biju Patnaik decades ago. Other members suggested that an assembly committee on this issue be formed and that committee visit the Prime minister on this issue. The proceedings of the assembly on the debate on IIT shifting is further reported in Tathya.in, New Indian Express and Samaja (in Oriya).

2 comments March 30th, 2007

AIIMS-like institution in Bhubaneswar

Following are some details on the AIIMS like institute in Bhubaneswar: architecture competition; RFP for consultancy; Notice inviting tender for survey works; Reply to queries raised by bidders ; More details (Drawing1, Drawing2, Drawing3, Architect’s brief). The "Architect’s brief" is a comprehensive document on what is planned for the AIIMS like institution. In the health budget of 2007-08 there is 150 crores for the 6 new AIIMS type institutes and upgradation of 10 state govt hospitals. In 2006-07 this was 75 crores which was revised down to 10 crores. There is a rumor in Orissa papers that the 150 crores in the 2007-08 is only for upgradation and nothing will be spend on the new AIIMS like institutions. I don’t believe it. Lets wait and wtach.

Add comment March 29th, 2007

Vedanta University unveils its web page

The webpage was unveiled on March 26th 2007. It has details on what they plan to do.
(Thanks to Prof. Sanjoy Das for the pointer.)

Add comment March 29th, 2007

IIT issue raised by Orissa MPs in the 1st phase of the budget session of the parliament

Dharitri (page1, page 2, page 3, page4, page5, page6, page7) has a nice summary of the various issues raised by Orissa’s MPs in the just concluded first phase of the budget session of the parliament. It shows that various MPs raised the IIT in Orissa issue and MHRD’s discrimination against Orissa. In particular:

* BJD and BJP MPs gave a notice in the Lok Sabha on this issue, and received acknowledgement from the speaker, but it did not get a chance to be included in the Lok Sabha proceedings. (page1) We hope that they insist that it gets included in the second phase of the parliament session.

Continue Reading Add comment March 25th, 2007

Orissa School of Mining Engineering in Keonjhar

Since 1995 Orissa govt has introduced B.Tech programs at the Orissa School of Mining Engineering in Keonjhar (location). However, so far it has very minimal facilities. In 2006, the Orissa governemnt decided to upgrade it and model it after the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad. They have gone around and obtained pledges from various industries operating in that area and have created a budget of 50+ crores to upgrade this school. They have identified 46 acres of land for the the upgraded school. This was reported in various newspapers in late October 2006 (samaja, statesman, tathya). The new industrial policy 2007 (page 12, 10.2.iii) of the Orissa government which was made in March 2007 also states the Orissa government’s plan regarding this school.

4 comments March 25th, 2007

Guest Article by Sandip Dasverma: Himalaya Senapati, a RMTS Scholar is finalist for the India team selection to International Math olympiad

(Editor’s comment: Please read more about the noble RMTS effort and consider contributing to it.)

Dear Friends: Please read the mail below from Dr. Swadheen Pattanayak and rejoice. It has been long 4 years but it seems only the other day when the list of 30 students selected from 1st RMTS(2003) was forwarded by Swadheen, to me in December 2003. Himalaya was second of thirty in the list of merit.

Continue Reading Add comment March 24th, 2007

ICFAI University, Bhubaneswar

Update: The MOU has been signed. [Kalinga Times]

Pragativadi reports that ICFAI plans to sign an MOU with Orissa government to establish an ICFAI university in Bhubaneswar. At present they have universities in Uttaranchal, Tripura, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Jharkhand. For example, ICFAI University in Dehradun has a business school, a science and technology school, a law school, a college of education, etc.
They plan to buy 150 acres of land from private parties near Jatni – the area near the Khurda Road station. The report also says that Orissa government is in the process of making legislation that will allow such private universities like ICFAI university, Vedanta University and Ravishankar University.

5 comments March 19th, 2007

IIIT Update: Classes may start in a building in Infocity

There is some possibility that IIIT Bhubaneswar classes may start in a building in the Infocity campus. That location has many advantages over the CITE location in Rasulgarh. Effort is on to obtain some chair professorship  funded by various companies  that have operations in Bhubaneswar and Orissa. The search for a director continues. The plan to start classes in the coming academic year is still on.

1 comment March 19th, 2007

Land for Ravenshaw University second campus and culture university

New Indian Express reports that the Utkal University of Culture has been granted 48 acres of land in the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. It does not exactly say where.

Few days back the Orissa government agreed to give 150 acres of land to Ravenshaw University  for its second campus. It also agreed to allocate a significant additional budget of 5-8 crores this year and 80+ crores over the next several years. Various news papers have reported on this and they all have different numbers. Samaja (page1, page2), Sambada and Pioneer are some of the newspapers that report this.
The newspapers list the various new departments that will be there in the new campus. They also mention that while Ravenshaw University currently has 7000 students, it is being made so as to be able to accommodate 25000 students later in this century.

1 comment March 17th, 2007

Updates on the IIT Orissa issue

Pragativadi on 3/9/2007 reports that HRD minister Mr. Arjun Singh has said that the proposal for an IIT in Orissa is still under consideration and the state government has received a letter to that effect from Mr. Arjun Singh.

However, the headline of the Pragativadi news item “Arjun Singh assures Orissa will have an IIT” does not match with the text of the news item.

Continue Reading 2 comments March 14th, 2007

10 Ekalavya model residential schools in Orissa

A press release mentions that the UPA government has opened 72 Ekalavya Vidyalayas in tribal areas across India. 10 of those are in Orissa. Each is constructed using an one time allocation of 250 lakhs towards school building, hostels, teachers’ quarters, library, laboratory etc. An annual grant of 30 lakhs is then given to run the school.

3 comments March 14th, 2007

Progress on Vedanta University front

Vedanta University has unveiled a new web page since March 1 2007. It has a nice picture of the location of the university. I am told that the architects of the university have come up with a detailed design of the initial buildings. Also, the CAO search is going well and an announcement in this regard may be made in May 2007.

1 comment March 13th, 2007

Sri Sri Ravishankar’s University

It seems progress is being made in this regard. A prominent leader in one of the top IT company of India is in charge of identifying a Dean for the IT/Computer Science program. I am told that T. N. Sheshan again visited Orissa last week regarding starting the university in August 2007. They are planning to have programs in medicine, sciences, and IT/Computer science, among other topics. The grapevine strongly suggests that the land overlooking Kathjodi near the origin of Kathajodi will be  given to this university rather than NISER and NISER is being shown alternative land between Khurda and Jatni.

1 comment March 13th, 2007

Slew of new departments/schools/centers at NIT Rourkela

NIT Rourkela has decided to start the following departments/schools/centers.

• Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering
  
• B. Tech. (Biotechnology), B. Tech (Biomedical Engg), M. Tech. (Biotechnology), M. Tech (Biomedical Engg), M. Tech.(R ), Ph.D.
  
• Department of Life Sciences
• M.Sc., M.Tech. ( R) , Ph.D.
  
• Department of Industrial Design
• B. Des, M. Des., M. Des.(R ), Ph.D.
  
• School of Management
• MBA/MBM/MMS, PGDMS, PH D, Executive Development Programmes
  
• Centre of Tribal Development
• M.Tech.(R), Ph.D.
  

Admission to all programmes of the department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering will start in the Academic Year 2007-08 and to the other Departments by Academic Year 2008-09.

This is a great move. I hope they will team up with RSP hospital and/or Rourkela General hospital to start a medical school.

(Thanks to Sandip babu for this news.)

5 comments March 5th, 2007

Three IITs for Andhra, none for Orissa

An IANS story with the above title has been picked by many papers including Times of India, Hindustan Times and New Indian Express. It talks about the green field IIT alloted to Andhra and the upgradation of Andhra University College of Engineering and Osmania University College of Engineering to IIT like institutions (IIESTs). It also talks about how Orissa was unlucky in neither getting a greefield IIT nor a branch campus of IIT Kharagpur. With the wide coverage this article has received I hope people all over India become aware of the divisive, partisan and discriminatory practices of the HRD ministry. I hope the UPA and its cabinet will realize the follies of their HRD minister and urge him to change course and not blatantly discriminate against Orissa.

Following are some links where the article of the above title appeared:

Continue Reading Add comment March 5th, 2007

Sudarshan Das on Agami Orissa’s “IIT in Orissa” plan

Recently we at Agamee Odisha had two rounds of preparatory meetings (on 26th and 28th Feb) on IIT- movement, of intellectuals, students, professionals, activists and Representatives of mass organisations, net work organisations, NGOs etc. These two meetings were well attended and one of the remarkable features of the meetings was that many important dignitaries attended the meetings and conveyed their solidarity to the movement for IIT in Orissa. In these two meetings the agenda of the first phase of movement has been finalised
which are as below-

Continue Reading 12 comments March 1st, 2007