Odisha HRD

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

Two government medical college proposals for Balasore? Defence department interested and Orissa government too?

Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.

While one proposal has come from the State Planning and Coordination Department (SPCD), another was offered by the Defence Department. Though these proposals are in the preliminary state as observed by ADM Sribatsa Jena, …

According to sources, the State Planning and Coordination Department has asked the district administration to identify adequate land for setting up the medical college. The district administration also earmarked a land for the purpose at Remuna.

“We have intimated SPCD Secretary Bijay Arora regarding the land position and we have a patch of land adequate enough for the purpose at Remuna. The land was earlier earmarked for setting up a hospital by some private parties, who later abandoned their ideas,” said Jena.

Meanwhile, another inquiry has come from the Defence Department, asking the district administration for feasibility of setting up a medical college in line of the Armed Forces Medical College.

“We received intimation from the Defence headquarters before the general election and we are working towards it. The district Collector will shortly hold a meeting in this regard with the directors of the PXE and ITR,” said Jena claiming the administration is keen to convert the planning into reality.

Notably, the Defence (Army) has begun initiations to establish a training school at Amarda, acquiring land including Rasgobindapur in Mayurbhanj district, besides reviving the British time unused airstrip at the place.

1 comment June 16th, 2009

Army air defence college in Gopalpur

Its web page is http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/aad/indexmain.html. Following are some excerpts from that page.

History:

The Army Air Defence College has an illustrious history dating back to pre independence era, when the School of Artillery was located at Quetta and the Anti Aircraft Wing was located at Karachi. When India gained Independence 1947, the School of Artillery and the Anti Aircraft Wing moved to Deolali. The Anti Aircraft Wing was renamed as the Air Defence Wing and was placed under School of Artillery.

  In 1955 a case was taken up to relocate Air Defence Wing from Deolali, due to lack of adequate ranges for gun and missile firing. In 1963, the Government of Orissa offered 3000 acres of land at Gopalpur -On –Sea, along with seaward firing range, which was accepted in 1968. In 1979, Government of India sanctioned the establishment of Air Defence and Guided Missile School and Centre at Gopalpur – On – Sea.  Gopalpur Cantonment was inaugurated on 30 October 1984 by late Shrimati Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India.

7 comments January 9th, 2009