Odisha HRD

Learning from other states: central sports university pursued in Tamil Nadu and cabinet approval of a national center on molecular materials at Thiruvantapuram

Following is from the PIB release http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=66858.

A proposal was received from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports to convert Rajiv Gandhi National Institute for Youth Development, an institution deemed to be university, at Sriperumbudur into Rajiv Gandhi Central University/National Institute of Youth and Sports. In order to examine the proposal and to make suitable recommendations, the Government has constituted a Committee …

In the past we have suggested a similar institution in Rourkela, the cradle of Hockey in Odisha and India.

Following is from another PIB release http://www.pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=66771. (Thanks to kalahandia.blogspot.com for the pointer.)

The Union Cabinet today approved the establishment of a National Centre for Molecular Materials (NCMM) at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala as an autonomous institute of the Government of India (GOI) under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) at a total cost of ` 76.7 crore for five years with an outlay of ` 14.55 crore for the Eleventh Plan Period.

The Centre will be located on 40 acres of land provided by the State Government, free of cost.

The Centre will be the first of its kind in the country and will pursue high-end science and develop technology in niche areas like sensors for biomedical devices, materials for solar energy harvesting and space electronics. Through the Centre, the Government attempts to create a national innovation infrastructure that channels knowledge systems to wealth creation in the long run.

The Centre will collaborate with other academic institutions and actively interact with industry and user groups. It will generate human resources in the form of well-qualified researchers, technicians and entrepreneurs who can help develop the use of such materials for technological applications and exploit the market potential in this area.

For long Odisha has been trying for a research center on materials along similar lines, but without much success.

November 9th, 2010

CSIR Post Graduate Research Program in Engineering – 10 seats at IMMT Bhubaneswar

April 26th, 2010

DST increases stipends for research fellows and research associates

Following is from http://www.dst.gov.in/whats_new/whats_new10/fellowship10.pdf.Thanks to a reader for the pointer.

2 comments April 8th, 2010

CSIR center to come up in Koraput via the CSIR-800 Programme

Following is an excerpt from a report in expressbuzz.com.

Koraput will soon be connected to the nationwide network of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories as it is chosen as an extension centre to have a pool of master trainers to train grassroots-level people in applied technologies in various fields.

The extension centre would be presently promoted by the State Government with an initial investment or Rs 30-40 lakh on a 25-acre land. However, it would soon have a full-fledged CSIR centre of Rs 40-50 crore investment with master trainers in agriculture, food and rural technologies, environment, biodiversity and food processing and for this a detailed proposal had already been submitted to the central authorities.

It would have active support from Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar, Central Foodcraft Technology Research Institute, Mysore, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, and Central Salt and Marine Research Institute, Bhavnagar.

According to IMMT Director Prof. Barada Kanta Mishra, the centre, to be built under `CSIR-800 Programme’ would also help in creating employment opportunity for the backward region in the southern part of Orissa which has seen a series of extremist activities recently.

It would also work as an interface to transfer laboratory-based knowledge to the rural people.

March 10th, 2010

DRDO Research boards and Centers of Excellence

Following information about DRDO research boards is from http://www.drdo.org/academic.html.

DRDO has constituted four research boards to nurture and harness talent in academic institutions, universities, R&D centres and industry. The organization provides necessary facilities for promoting basic research and to catalyse cross-fertilization of ideas with R&D agencies in other sectors for expanding and enriching the knowledge base in their respective areas. The boards provide grants-in-aid for collaborative defence-related futuristic frontline research having application in the new world class systems to be developed by DRDO.

The catalytic role played by research boards has helped rapid growth in building capabilities in the area of aeronautical state-of-art systems like light helicopter, and in setting up a centre of excellence in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) at the IISc, Bangalore, which is anticipated to give a boost to the designing of aeronautical systems within the country. Another centre of excellence in aerospace system design and engineering is being set up at IIT, Mumbai. A Centre for Composite Structure Technology is proposed to be set up at the National Aerospace Laboratory, Bangalore. Grants in aid by DRDO have led to setting up of a hypermedia digital library in IIT-Kharagpur, to the development of audio-visual training aids for aircrew, to indoctrination in air sickness and positive pressure breathing at the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Bangalore and to the development of rarefied gas dynamic facility at IIT, Chennai.

The Aeronautics Research and Development Board (AR&DB) has approved projects in the filed of Aeronautics and related areas. The Armament Research Board (ARMREB) has approved projects in the fields of high energy materials, sensors, ballistics and other armament related fields. Under the Naval Research Board (NRB), projects are being pursued in five technology areas. Under Life Sciences Research Board (LSRB) projects have been supported in the areas of biological and bio-medical sciences, psychology, physiology, bio-engineering, specialized high altitude agriculture, food science and technology.

Following informations about DRDO’s Centers of Excellence is from the page http://www.drdo.org/centerofexcellence.html.

The need for establishing CE by DRDO has been projected long back by SA to RM. The outlay for such a centre will be typically expected to be Rs.50 crores over a period of 5 years. DRDO proposes 5 such centres that will include:

1. The science and synthesis of HEM (for use as explosives and propellants).
2. The science of polymer physics especially polymer Electronics can emergent and for a variety of military semi conductor devices).
3. The interaction of microwaves and matter (for stealth).
4. Nanotechnology based sensors for NBC detection.
5. Nano optoelectronic devices.

Out of these, for item (a), Advanced Centre for Research on High Energy Materials (ACRHEM) has been established with the University of Hyderabad. We have evolved an Memorandum of collaboration (MOC) exclusively for this centre. Parallely, old MOC of DRDO with Bharathiar Unviersity (BU), Coimbatore has been upgraded as a Centre of Excellence called BU-DRDO Centre for Life Sciences. A separate MOC exists exclusively for it. In order to have effective functioning, SOP was proposed and the same has been approved by SA to RM. DRDO can advertise through newspaper or website the intent of setting up of such a CE in the fields of relevance. This step would stimulate other competitive agencies to submit proposals. Funding of academic institution for research whose expected outcome was judged to be of use in extant DRDO R&D projects/programmes. Instrumentality was the sponsored research proposal ‘instigated’ by a DRDO labroratory or vetted by it for direct relevance of research outcome(s).

Universities and institutions in Odisha should propose and pursue DRDO funded Centers of Excellence.

1 comment January 7th, 2010

Existing and recently approved (in the 11th plan) Dept. of Biotechnology Institutes

Following is an excerpt from the PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=56523.

Autonomous Institutions: There are seven existing autonomous institutions under Department of Biotechnology namely National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi; Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad; National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Manesar; National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi; Institute of Bioresource and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal; Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar. Recently, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram has been taken over from Government of Kerala. These institutes have generated 382 publications, 24 patents granted/filed, 9 patents in pipeline and 13 technologies were developed.

Establishment of new breed of institutions in critical areas has been one of the major strategies of 11^th plan. Cabinet has approved setting up of institutions namely Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore; National Agri-food Biotechnology Institute with bioprocessing plant  Cluster in Knowledge city at Mohali; Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI); Regional Centre for Biotechnology Training and Education under the auspices of the UNESCO, Faridabad and Institute of Biomedical Genomics in Kolkata and efforts are being made to establish institutions. In other proposed new institutions, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad has been approved by EFC.

Regional biotechnology clusters , around the new institutions are being planned to promote innovation and discovery. These are the Translational Health Cluster at Faridabad, the Agrifood Cluster at Mohali and the Innovation Cluster at Bangaloore. Together, it is hoped that these will become the technology and innovation gateways of India.

2 comments December 31st, 2009

Foundation stone laying of ICAR Foot and mouth disease (FMD) lab

Update:Following is an article from Dharitri about what Foot and Mouth disease is.

1 comment July 6th, 2009

ICAR operations in Orissa

Following is from http://www.naarm.ernet.in/AgriGateway/RARS&I/Orissa.asp.

 

Orissa – Krishi Vigyan Kendra

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhanjanagar Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Semiliguda Krishi Vigyan Kendra, G. Udayagiri Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Keonjhar, Orissa Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Balasore, Pin -756023, Established in 1983. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sambalpur, Pin – 768102, Established in 1985. Larambha, Bargarh (Dist), Orissa Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kalahandi, Pin – 766001, Established in 1992. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kendrapada, Pin -754211 , Established in 1994. Jajanga, Kapaleswar,  Kendrapara (Dist), Orissa, FAX: (06727)-74962  Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhubaneshwar, Pin – 751002, Established in 1976. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Cuttack, Pin – 753006, Established in 1992. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhenkanal, Pin – 759013, Established in 1994. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Angul, Pin – 759122, Established in 1995. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, P.O.Box no:10, Sunabeda, Koraput (Dist), Orissa, FAX:  (06853)-20431 Agricultural Technology Information Centres ( ATICs) Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC), Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Dhauli, Kaushalyaganga P.O., BHUBANESWAR – 751 002, ORISSA  Agricultural Institutes & Regional Stations Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar,Orissa, PIN 751003, e mail: root@uat.ori.nic.in, vc@ouat.ten.nic.in, Phone : (0674)-402769/818/918, FAX : 0674-407780 High Altitude Research Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Pottangi-764039, Koraput (Dist), Orissa,  Phone: (06853)-42565  Jute Research Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Kaleswar, Kendrapara (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (06727)-22266  Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,  Keonjhar-758002, Keonjhar (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (06766)-55567  Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,  Ranital-756111, Bhandrak (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (06784)-65952  Regional Research Station, P.O. Agricultural College, Chiplima -768025,  Dist. Sambalpur, Orissa, Phone :  83507 Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, P.O.Box:10, Semiliguda, Sunabeda-763002, Koraput (Dist), Orissa, Phone:  (06853)-20348  Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,Central Farm, Bhubaneswar-751003, Khurda (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (0674)-470415   Regional Research and TOT (Sub-station) of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,  Kalimela-764047, Malkangiri (Dist), Orissa Regional Research and TOT (Sub-station) of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Kirei-770073,  Sundergarh (Dist),  Orissa, Phone:(06622)-73245  Regional Research Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Krupasindhupur, Berhampur-761001, Ganjam (Dist), Orissa,  Phone:(0680)-208935 Zonal Agricultural Research Station ( ZARS), Bhadrak, Orissa Zonal Agricultural Research Station ( ZARS), Navrangpur, Orissa Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Kausalyaganga Post-751002, Bhubaneswar, Orissa e mail : cifa@tn.nic.in Phone : (0674)-465430/21 Fax : (0674)-465407 Central Rice Research Institute, Bidyadharpur-753006, Cuttack, Orissa, e mail : crri@crri.ori.nic.in Phone : (0671)-642445/450 Fax : (0671)-641744 Central Soil & Water Conservation Research &Training Institute Research Centre P.B No:12,Sunabeda-763002, Koraput (Dist),Orissa, e mail : cswcrti@dte.vsnl.net.in , Phone : (06853)-22418, (06852)-40738, Fax : (06853)-20592 National Research Centre on Water Technology Centre for Eastern Region, Chandrasekharpur, P.O: SE Railway Project Complex, Bhubaneswar-751023, Orissa, e mail : wtcer@stpbh.soft.net/www.wtcer.stpbh.soft.net , Phone : (0674)-300060, Fax : (0674)-301651 National Research Centre  for Women in Agriculture Plot No- 1199, Jagamara, P.O Khandagiri,  Bhubaneswar-751030, Bhubaneswar (Dist) Orissa, e mail : nrcwa@nrcwa.ori.nic.in, Phone : (0674)-471013, Fax : (0674)-471448 Central Avian Research Institute Regional Centre Baramunda housing board, Bhubaneswar -751003, Khurda (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0674)-563934,  Fax : (0674)-553195 Puri Research Centre of Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture 15 B.S.Nagar, Puri-752002, Orissa,  Phone : (06752)-23381 Burla Research Centre of Central Institute of Fisheries Technology Burla-768017, Sambalpur (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0663)-430419 Sisal Research Station of Central Research Institute for Jute &Allied Fibres Bamra-768221, Sambalpur (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0662)-60086 Central Horticultural Experiment Station Aiginia, Bhubaneswar-751019, Khurda (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0674)-471867, Fax : (0674)-471867 National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources Regional Station C.R.R.I. Campus-753006, Cuttack, Orissa, e mail : nbpgrctc@ori.nic.in, Phone : (0671)-642727, Fax : (0671)-642727

2 comments June 8th, 2009

IMMT offers a 1 year PG Diploma in Mineral Engineering

The details of the course is at http://www.immt.res.in/academic/. It looks like a very good program to pursue and should lead to jobs in the various mining and mineral processing plants (including steel and aluminum plants) in Orissa. Following is the program structure.

Duration : The PG Diploma programme will be of one year duration, consisting of two semesters. Both theory classes and practical demonstrations will be taken up during the 1st semester for six courses. During the 2nd semester, the students will be carrying out project work.

May 5th, 2009

Each Institute for Nano Science and Technology will cost 100 crore: 3 in India

December 14th, 2008

Tourism and culture ministry mulls over establishing a network of Indian Institutes of Art and Culture

Following is an excerpt from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=45185.

Fifthly, there is a need for capacity building in the sector of management of heritage and cultural resources to obviate the serious dearth of expertise and manpower in this area. The Ministry of Culture has proposed, as part of its XI Plan, to set up a Centre for Management of Cultural Resources. There are also suggestions to set up a network of Indian Institute of Art and Culture on the lines of IIMs and IITs.

December 2nd, 2008

Regional Centre for Biotechnology Training and Education in Haryana

Following is from the PIB report http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=44917.

The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for establishment of the UNESCO Regional Centre for Training and Education in Biotechnology at Faridabad, Haryana as a Category-II Institution of UNESCO with the revised budget of Rs. 99.55 crores.

The proposed Centre would act as the focal point for cooperation amongst the Members countries of the Asian Region in Biotechnology.

The Centre would be a regional hub for interdisciplinary education and training in biotechnology with emphasis on novel education programmes relevant to industry, including bio-drug discovery science, nano-science & medicine, imaging techniques, designer crops, bioengineering and biomaterials, intellectual property, technology transfer and regulation to fulfill and overcome the acute shortage of skilled human resources in India.

The Centre will be governed by a Board of Governors with representations from India, UNESCO and the member countries. Collaboration with UNESCO will ensure gateways to international institutions such as European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), International Union of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (IUBMB) etc. and usher in skill acquisition in the global context.

The Centre will be the first every inter-disciplinary institution in life sciences and biotechnology in India with unique international character to offer novel educational & training courses in the interdisciplinary and related areas of biotechnology. It would also be a place of designing of new and novel programmes for education & training which could be then assimilated by the existing universities in India and the Region.

32 comments November 20th, 2008

Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri to have 25 universities

The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri area will have 25 universities. Following is a slide on it from my presentation at the Invest India Symposium.

The color coding in the above slides is as follows:

• Red – Central govt funded universities/institutes
• Navy Blue: State govt. funded universities
• Light blue: PPP
• Green: Privately created universities and deemed universities
• Orange: Mention about colleges that are part of various universities

To compare this with the universities in the major metropolitan areas of the US and the state of California, please see: 

• Boston: 18 four year colleges and universities in the city and  24 in the surrounding areas, some listed twice as they have campuses in the city as well as in the surrounding areas.
• New York:83 colleges and universities in New York City, not counting the 22 individual colleges of CUNY.
• Los Angeles:
• Chicago: 43 colleges and universities
• California
  

The reason we use California as a reference point is that the population of California (34,600,463 in 2001) is close to the population of Orissa (2001: 36,804,660).

November 8th, 2008

TIFR plans campus in Hyderabad

This is an abstract from Times of India.

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) has decided to set up its campus in the city. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to lay foundation stone for the campus soon. This will be the second campus in the country after Mumbai.

TIFR director Mustansir Barma called on chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on October 12 and presented a proposal to set up the campus during the centenary birth year of its founder Dr Homi J Bhabha.

The TIFR, according to official sources, sought about 210 acres of land at the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) for the campus and has projected an investment of over Rs 2,500 crore over a period of 12-15 years.

NOTE: Andhra Pradesh has done excellent in attracting high quality institution of higher learning. Recently it received  IIT, WCCU (National University),  NIPER, SPA, BITS campus (private),  ISM campus (proposed),  and now a new TIFR campus with 2500 crore investment. Central University Hyderabad, IICT, CCMB and DRDO research Lab have already mentained a nationally high standard in their respective field. With all these facilties coming over, Hyderabad would emerge as top center for higher education and research in India. Like Chief Minister of AP, Orissa CM should be proactive in attracting independent institution like TIFR, BARC, DRDO, IISc, BITS etc  to establish campus in Orissa.

1 comment October 15th, 2008

UNESCO Regional center in biotechnology in Faridabad, Harayana

The following was reported in bbiiser.blogspot.com.

UNESCO Center
The research carried out at the Centre will be supported by various programmes and collaborations at the national and global levels like Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Autonomus Research & Development Institutions, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Medical Schools, Biotechnology Centres at regional and international level etc. as per the guidelines to be formulated by the Board of Governors. It will consider supporting Research Resource Units (RRU’s) and Centre for Excellence (CoE) with Indian or Regional institutes in strategic areas where partnership is critical for collaborative research. It will also provide access to technology platforms to scientists from other institutes and industry. The extramural collaborations will have provisions for adjunct professorships, visiting professor programmes and scientist exchange programmes etc.

OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE UNESCO CENTER:
The Centre will have the provisions for Visiting Professorship for Indian Nationals & International Scientists, Adjunct Professorship, Stanford-India Bio-design Programme, Re-entry Grant and Young Investigator Awards.

CENTRALIZED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM:

The platform technologies will be available in the areas of
v Large Scale Sequencing,
v Genetic Analysis,
v Proteomics,
v RNAi,
v Imaging,
v Chemical Biology,
v Bio Bank etc.
This centralized science and technology platform is expected to provide service to the scientists of the research divisions of health science & technology, and provide support to the training activities of the UNESCO Centre and other research institutes in the country.
In due course it will develop liaison with national and international databases and consortia in order to contribute to global scientific resources.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT UNIT:

The infrastructure of this unit will have ready to use laboratory space for extramural scientists for innovative & translational research projects. In partnership with the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), GMP units for cell based therapy and vaccine will be made. The faculty of this unit will have skills in technology transfer, IP managements, finance and enterprise creation.

Organization Structure:

Administration & Finance Unit:

This unit will provide administrative, financial, engineering and other support services to the Centre. Services like security, housekeeping, office attendants, operation & maintenance of services will be outsourced to firms who provide manpower on contract.

Location:

The Centre will be situated in a picturesque location in Faridabad about 25 km from New Delhi (40 minute drive) in the academic and research ambience of the Life Sciences Cluster and an adjacent R & D Centre of another Ministry of the Government of India to be set up in the near future.
The site is also close to other renowned institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS); Indian Institute of Technology (IIT); International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (ICGEB); Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU); National Institute of Immunology (NII); National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), with whom the centre is likely to establish network and collaborative programmes, are also situated within 20-30km radius of the centre.
v Meeting with National Experts was held on May 18, 2007.

v An interactive meeting on the UNESCO Centre was jointly organized by DBT and UNESCO on June 18-19, 2007 at New Delhi to discuss the focus, activities, organizational structure and linkages of the proposed Centre.

The meeting was attended by eminent scientists, educationists, policy makers and stakeholders from the members countries, counties of the South East Asian Region as well as by representatives from the industries as well.

The experts nominated by UNESCO provided insights into global partnerships and benefit- sharing especially with regard to guest/visiting faculty, fellowships and participation of member countries.

Meeting held on June 18-19, 2007 at New Delhi

v A meeting was organized with Boston University delegation, USA, led by its President – Prof. Robert Brown, towards developing partnerships for education, training and research with the UNESCO Regional Centre for Biotechnology Training & Education and Translational Health Science & Technology Institute (THSTI) in New Delhi on September 25, 2007.
Current Status:
v An Interim Advisory Committee (IAC) has been constituted to provide Scientific and Academic directions.
v A Management Cell has been created at NII, New Delhi to address the interim issues
v Initiatives for collaborations/partnerships with international institutes/universities have been started. MoUs have been signed with Stanford and Boston University.
v Actions have been initiated for revised Cabinet approval, Legislative Bill for Act of Parliament, constitution of various committees, web-design, building construction etc.

36 comments June 18th, 2008

Kerala’s HRD goodies

Following is extracted from a report in New Indian Express.

• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would lay the foundation stone of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and Indian Institute of Space Technology (IIST).
• The Central University sanctioned by the IHRD Ministry will be started in Kasargod district.
• The Centre has also sanctioned another Central university with world class standards.
• An Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)
• Upgradation of CUSAT into Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST).
• A sub centre of Aligarh Muslim University will be established in Malappuram
• A sub centre of Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages University will be started at Kollam.
• A proposal for establishing a Centre of Engineering Research in Engineering to coordinate research in engineering.

May 23rd, 2008