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• Some good news on national institutes front
• Letter to SAC-PM on science magnet schools
• XIMB’s forway into satellite based management programs
• Orissa among the bottom in terms of its universities’ performance in civil service exams
• Update on IIIT Bhubaneswar
• Samaja on vocational courses
• Some excerpts from the PM’s address with comments and questions from me
• PM’s address at the 150th anniversary of University of Mumbai: 30 new Central universities to be established
• 2004 data on Orissa JEE and Orissa engineering colleges: can’t understand it completely
• Sambada has opened a school of mass communication and culture through its charitable trust
• RMRC Bhubaneswar will have facility for diagnosis of viral infections
• Sambada: BJD MP Braja Tripathy writes to PM on KBK Central University
• Which University to recommend for central university status?
• Orissa JEE has released additional rankings
• Rejoinder to Mr. Jairam Ramesh’s comments in Bhubaneswar on the IIT Orissa issue
• Which option is better IISER, NIT or IIST and why?
• IIT JEE 2007 Counseling brochure
• Plus two science colleges in Bhubaneswar-Cuttack area
• New Indian Express: Our government will fight for central varsity – Naveen
• Dharitri Editorial: Kendrara ghaitapania (Spousal abuse by center)
• Statesman: Naveen’s missive on varsity in KBK region
• New Indian Express: Orissa feels rejected once again
• Pioneer: Naveen shoots off letter to PM over central varisty in KBK
• Ganjam district has the maximum number of out-of-school students in Orissa
• Higher education vision document in the offing
• Orissatv.com: Center’s decision to shift proposed tribal university to Madhya Pradesh objected – CM says it is another example of center’s negligence
• Statesman: CM demands varisty in KBK region
• Sambada: After IIT Central University in KBK is also out of hand
• Fax campaign against repeated injustice by MHRD
• Dharitri: Hopes dashed on KBK Central University
• Pioneer: Arjun hijacks plans for KBK varisty
• Ex and founding VC of BPUT Prof. Damodar Acharya will be IIT Kharagpur director from July 2007
• Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Madhya Pradesh – Orissa had proposed a similar university in KBK
• Orissa JEE result is out: some links

Various newspapers (Telegraph, Financial Express) report that the Cabana group has announced a hotel and a management institute in Bhubaneswar and plans to open many hotels in various locations in Orissa. Following is an excerpt from Telegraph.

Co-chairman of Cabana Hotel Management Private Limited and venture capitalist, Prabhu Goel, said the institute will be the group’s first training venture anywhere in the world. “Since the industry demand is huge, we hope that all students will be absorbed after training,” Goel added.

The institute, for which the government has allotted a seven-acre plot near Dumduma, will have hostels for 1,500 students, classrooms, labs, kitchens, along with a an attached 200-bed hotel. The group will represent Best Western brand in India, provide hotel management services and consultancy, he said.

Over the next 10 years, the group intends to add more than 100 hotels and 10,000 rooms to the growing Indian hospitality market. “We have visited places like Chilika, Puri, Konark and Paradip. We are interested to set up hotels there. We have plans to invest around Rs 350 crores in developing properties in the state,” said Goel.

NDTV reports that the Gopalpur SEZ has been cleared by the Central Govt.

There was a lot of hue and cry that why the Gopalpur SEZ was not moving further in Orissa. Recent events show that it was held up due to security clearances which was required. Hopefully this will ensure faster development in Orissa.

Economic times reported that Tata’s proposed multi-product special economic zone (SEZ) in Gopalpur is finally set to get the green signal from the government.

Various news reports (New Indian Express, Sambada, Dharitri) mention that an integrated Titanium plant will be established in Chhatrapur at the cost of 2200 crores. This plant will be established by Sharaf agencies with the help of the Russian government.

Infrastructure of Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur cluster

Educational and research infrastructure of Orissa

Universities in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur cluster.

• Berhampur University, Berhampur

Research institutes in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur cluster.

Medical /Dental Colleges in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur cluster.

• MKCG Medical college, Berhampur
• Biju Patnaik Homeopathic Medical Coll. Hospital, BERHAMPUR. Ganjam
• Various other medical and medical technology instituitions
• Ref: Medical colleges in India

Management Institutes (granting MBA or equivalent) in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur cluster.

• Department of Business Administration, Berhampur University, Bhanja Bihar, Berhampur – 760 007 Dist: Ganjam
• S.M. Institute of Technology PG Centre for Management Studies, Brundaban Vihar, Berhampur – 761 100 Dist: Ganjam
• Ref: AICTE list of MBA granting institutions

Engineering Colleges in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur cluster.

• Jagannath Institute For Tech. & Management, Gusani Block Parlakhemundi – 761 211, Gajapati Orissa.
• National Institute Of Science & Tech, Palur Hills, Berhampur- 761007, Ganjam, Orissa
• Rolond Inst Of Technology Surya Vihar Berhampur- 761008 Dist Ganjam, Orissa
• Sanjay Memorial Institute Of Technology Brundaban Vihar, Ankuspur-761100 Ganjam, Orissa.
• Ref: AICTE list of engineering colleges.

MCA granting institutions in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur cluster.

• Berhampur Institute of Science, Green Valley Institute Area, Ramachandrapur, Berhampur – Dist: Ganjam
• Khallakote Autonomous College, Berhampur – 761 001 Dist: Ganjam
• National Institute of Science & Technology, Palur Hills, Berhampur – 761 008, Dist: Ganjam
• Roland Institute of Technology, Surya Vihar, Berhampur – 768 008 Dist: Ganjam
• Ref: AICTE list of MCA insittutions.

Pharmacy schools in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur

• College Of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mohuda, Berhampur Ganjam, Orissa – 760 004.,
• Roland Institute Of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gandhinagar, Berhampur, Ganjam – 760 001.,
• Royal College Of Pharamcy & Health Sciences Mayuree Vihar,Berhampur-735101 Orissa
• Ref: AICTE list of pharmacy schools

Autonomous Colleges with Masters programs in Berhampur-Gopalpur-Chhatrapur

• Khalikote College, Berhampur (Orissa)
• S.K.C.G. College, Paralakhemundi, Gajapati-761 200 (Orissa)
• Ref: UGC list of autonomous colleges in Orissa

Other institutions with non traditional (i.e., beyond Science/liberal Arts/Commerce/Engg/Medical/MBA etc.) programs

• Army A.D.College, Gopalpur, Golabandha Ganjam
• College of Fisheries, Rangailunda Ganjam
• College of Library and Information Science, ANKUSPUR. Ganjam
• College of Nursing, BERHAMPUR
• K.S.U.B. Teacher Training College, BHANJANAGAR. Ganjam
• Lingaraj Law College, BERHAMPUR
• Mac Micle Sanskrit College, Aska Ganjam
• Ramadhin Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, BERHAMPUR
• Ref: The complete list of colleges in Orissa
• Ref: AICTE list of hotel management schools

Fun/Culture/Tourism in and around Berhampur

• Chilika Lake.
• Gopalpur-on-Sea: [1], [2], [3], [4] <>.
• Berhampur.
• Odissi.com: Berhampur
• Orissa tourism destinations.
• Wild life in Orissa: elephants, tigers, sea turtles, birds at Chilika lake, crocodiles, mangroves

Industries and Industrial infrastructure in and around Berhampur

• Indian Rare earth limited: Orissa Sands Complex (OSCOM), Thorium plant, Mineral separations plant, Chhatrapur: [1], [2].
• Gopoalpur Special Economic zone and TATA: [1], [2], [3], [4].

Getting to/from Berhampur

• Berhampur is a major station in the Kolkata-Chennai train line and all major trains between Kolkata and Visakhapatnam stop here:
  • Timings of trains to/from/through Berhempur
  • Indian Railways Schedule
• Berhampur is on NH 5.
• The nearest airport is in Bhubaneswar.
• Gopalpur Port.