The following is an excerpt from http://ibnlive.in.com/news/coming-up-innovation-centre-for-climate-change/251002-60-117.html.
India will very soon have the first-ever Innovation Centre for Climate Change (ICCC) to cover the Bay of Bengal. It will come up on the Konark-Puri road. The Centre will function under the Indian Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar (IITB).
The Bay of Bengal Coastal Observatory (BOBCO) as it has been named will study the behaviour of the Bay of Bengal. With the completion of the observatory, the country will be able to forecast extreme weather conditions and collect data about the ocean behaviour and numerous other details like the physical, chemical, biological and Geo-scientific data. “All this information will be instrumental in preparing a model for understanding cyclone. We would have understood the 1999 cyclone better if we had this observatory back then,” said Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences Prof Prem Chand Pandey.
Its working will be different from the Meteorological Department (MET) as the ICCC will look into the causes behind the occurrences in the ocean while MET department records the ocean behaviour and gives continuous information.
The ICCC will come up along with the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Science (SEOCS) under IITB. The SEOCS, which will come up at Arugul, will be headed by Prof Subhashish Tripathy. The State Government had allotted around 936 acre land for the construction of the SEOCS. It also recently allotted around 75 acres for setting up of the observatory.
… For the setting up of the observatory, IITB is working closely with University of Massachusetts and University of South Hampton. They will also conduct the Ocean Instrumentation Training Programme to train people with the advanced instruments that will be used in the ICCC. “There will be around 12 faculties initially, but with the gradual growth of the school, more and more experienced faculties will be brought in,” said Tripathy. The recruitment process has already begun. The institute also has ambitious plans to conduct research in the field of land, ocean and atmosphere, added Pandey.
April 23rd, 2012
Its web page is http://www.orissaculture.gov.in/oimseas.asp. Following is the content from their "About Us" page.
With a view to establish the commercial, cultural and political linkage of ancient Orissa (Kalinga/Utkala) with the South East Asian Countries as also the Roman Empire, West Asia, Sri Lanka and Western Part of India, the Orissa Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies has been formed since 1986-87 under the Chairmanship of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Orissa to extricate the glorious maritime heritage from the darkness of the past. The mutual relations and contacts between ancient Orissa and South East Asia continued at least from the early Christian era. Situated on the shore of Bay of Bengal, ancient Orissa comprised the coastal regions of modern Orissa and the adjacent coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Bengal. Owing to its location between the two great east Indian deltaic regions of the Ganges and the Krishna and Godavari rivers, Kalinga itself had two distinctive historical core areas in the delta regions of the Mahanadi in Central Orissa and further to the southeast of the Rishikulya and Vansadhara rivers in southern Orissa and northern Andhra Pradesh. In ancient times almost all the trade centers (ancient ports) are said to have been located in these coastal areas controlled by Kalinga people.
From early times, Orissa has taken part in inland as well as overseas trade as known from literary and archaeological sources. Its geographical location between north and south India and her favourable position along the shore of Bay of Bengal provided an excellent opportunity for its inhabitants for maritime trade. As a coastal state on the east, vast span of Bay of Bengal opening into Indian Ocean and the Arabian sea on the west. The entire hinterland has a net of several big and small rivers. All the big rivers discharge into the Bay of Bengal. The meandering coast-line along with environmental conditions has imbibed an inborn instinct in the local population to swim which in due course made them a seafaring people. This spirit is reflected in literature, sculpture and archaeological evidences.
The Buddhist as well as Jaina texts, Greek writings, Hieun Tsang’s accounts, Arab writer’s accounts refer to Orissa’s sea-borne trade with the outside world through a number of ports situated on the coasts of Kalinga. Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.) refers to a port named Palura. According to him the point of departure (apheterion) for ships bound for Khryse (Land of South East Asia) was “immediately to the south of a town of the territory on the Gangetic Gulf called Palura. Hieun Tsang in 7th century A.D. mentions an important port called Che-li-ta-lo. The Arab and the Persian writers of the 9th-10th centuries A.D. also informs us about the sea ports of Orissa as Kalinganagara, Ganjam-Keylkan and Nubin which are yet to be properly identified, except Kalinganagar as Kalingapatnam and Ganjam. They inform us that Nubin was situated on the frontier of Bhauma kingdom and the corn of Sarandip (Suvarna Dvipa) came from this town. They refer to the products of Orissa such as large elephants, large quantities of pepper, good cotton, textile and white conch shells (Terbinala pirum) which were the commodities of trade in this period.
On the coast of Orissa several port towns were developed and served as outlets for external trade. Ancient Orissa’s geographical boundary covering a major part of Eastern India had distinct political identity from time to time and called Kalinga, Odra, Utkala, Kangoda and Odisha (Orissa). The most important was Kalinga. Its traditional boundary was extended from the areas were called the Kalingas. In the 7th century, the Chinese pilgrim refers to Odra (Wu-Cha) and Kangoda and also to a number port towns. In the early medieval period under the Bhaumakaras and the Samavamsis the coastal regions from Midnapur to Puri was known as Utkala. Hence, the port located from the mouth of the river Ganga to the mouth of the river Godavari were directly responsible for the trans-Asian maritime trade.
Historically, Kalinga (modern Orissa) has been famous for its trade and commerce. Both literary and archaeological sources refer to inland and overseas trade of Orissa. Its overseas clientele were spread all over Burma, Malaysia, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Bali, Ceylon and China and after 9th century over Arabia, Greece and even some of the western African countries.
The information supplied by the above literary sources need to be substantiated by archaeological evidences. Therefore, in order to establish the commercial and cultural linkages of ancient Kalinga with South East Asian countries. The government sponsored Orissa Institute of Maritime and South East Asian studiers have been formulated.
Aims & Objectives
The major aims and objectives of Orissa Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies are as follows:
- To study the past cultural links between Orissa (Ancient Utkala/Kalinga) and South East Asian countries.
- To study the maritime connection that continued for a long period between the people of this land and of these countries.
- To take up archaeological survey and exploration of the important sites stretching from Tamralipti to Kalingapatanam (the then coastal line of Kalingan empire) for reviving cultural materials of significance which may be invaluable for an in-depth study of cultural and economic links maintained by Orissa with those overseas countries.
- To excavate the important archaeological sites of the coastal belt and to trace out archaeological treasures which will constitute the primary source of information.
- To take up oceanographic study of the Indian Ocean.
- To liaison between the allied Institutes established in India and in the countries of South East Asia.
- To take up study of written and oral folklore prevalent in coastal Eastern India and in these countries.
- To study the evolution of art and architecture in Orissa and in those countries.
- To take up study of performing art of Orissa and of those countries.
- To take up in-depth study of textile and other materials preserved in the Museums of countries of South East Asia with a view to establishing linkages.
- To organize lectures, symposia, national and international seminars with wider participation of scholars particularly from the South East Asian countries.
- To publish reports, research papers and books based on primary sources.
- To establish a Museum of Marine History
- To take up such other activities as may be required to widen the aims and objectives of the Institute.
April 6th, 2011
Following is from http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=70461.
The scheme of ‘Centres of Excellence in Polymer Technology’ aims at setting up of Centers of Excellence (COE) in existing educational and research institutions working in the field of polymers. It is expected that each Centre of Excellence (COE) will emerge as an internationally recognized Centre for the analysis and dissemination of existing global knowledge in the chosen fields. Detailed proposals received from the Institutions have been evaluated by an expert Panel for finalizing the names of institutions as Centres of Excellence during the 11th Plan period. Two fully functional Centres of Excellences (COEs) are to be established over a period of three years.
The campaign against plastic is restricted to plastic carry bags and their indiscriminate littering. The aim of setting up Centres of Excellence, inter alia, includes developing bio-polymers and bio-degradable polymers and innovative recycling process technology which may ultimately result in developing strategies to address such issues.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Srikant Kumar Jena in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
DNM/PKM/SB
Perhaps one of these centers of excellence will be in Odisha as the CIPET campuses in Odisha have good research programs in polymer technology and it has the LARPM (Laboratory for advanced research in polymeric materials).
March 4th, 2011
The advertisement http://www.cipet.gov.in/pdfs/advt.2010.pdf mentions that CIPET is upgrading its centers to High Learning Centers to impart B.Tech, M.Tech and Ph.D programs with exclusive R & D hubs ARSTPS & LARPM. (Note: I think LARPM was the first R & D hub to be created by CIPET and was mentioned in a Jan 2009 PIB report. But both were also mentioned in a May 2008 Economic Times article.)
As per http://www.cipet.gov.in/research.html:
Technology innovation through dedicated research work by a Core team has been the philosophy of CIPET, which led to the establishment of 02 R&D centres – Laboratory for Advance Research in polymeric Materials (LARPM) & Advance Research School for Technology & Product simulation (ARSTPS) at CIPET Bhubaneswar & Chennai respectively. …
The vision for these R&D Centres have been conceived with objectives of transforming CIPET as a Global research Centre on Polymeric Materials as well as a Resource centre for newer concept development & conversion of concept into reality by Product development on commercial scales. Technology transfer, creation of Intellectual Property (IP), knowledge base with validated documentation would be the key aspects of functioning of R&D entities.
The significance of LARPM & ARSTPS is evident from the fact that they will be chaired by Director General and functioning independently under the Technology & Business development department of Corporate Office. The targets for both R&D centres have been set to pursue the objectives in mission mode. The experienced & competent faculties have been drawn from the existing pool of CIPET along with newly inducted researchers.
Operating model of LARPM & ARSTPS would be influenced with 03 “Rs”- Relevance to industry needs, Result-oriented output, Resourceful base to operate as ‘Centre of excellence”. It is worth mentioning that LARPM has already been sanctioned 03 sponsored projects from Funding agencies of Govt. of India. Similarly, ARSTPS has already initiated industry sponsored projects for Automotive, Medical & Aerospace Industries.
The identified focus areas of LARPM & ARSTPS are as follows:
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| Biopolymers |
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Innovative Product Design for Medical, Automobile, Aerospace and Packaging Industries |
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| Polymer Composites & Nanocomposites |
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Product and Tool Design Conceptualization (modeling, analysis, process optimization & simulation approach ) |
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| Functional Plastics, Carbon nanotubes |
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E- Manufacturing of Prototypes.
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Polymer Membranes, Conducting polymers
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Reverse Engineering for metal and conventional
material substitution.
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Development & Characterization of Engg.
Polymers, Blends/Alloys |
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The home page of LARPM is http://cipet.gov.in/cipetr&d/. As per http://cipet.gov.in/pdfs/research.pdf there are already 5 students pursuing Ph.D at LARPM. Following are concept drawings of their upcoming building.
The 2010-2011 admission ad shows the B.tech and M.tech programs that will be offered in 2010-2011. The program that will be offered at CIPET Bhubaneswar are:
- B.Tech in Plastics Engineering/Technology (Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad, Chennai , Lucknow, Haldia – proposed)
- B.Tech in Manufacturing Engineering & Technology – proposed (Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Lucknow)
- M.Tech in Plastics Engineering/Technology (Bhubaneswar, Chennai , Lucknow, Hajipur)
- M.Tech in Polymer Nano Technology (LARPM – Bhubaneswar)
- M.Sc M.Tech in Material Science & Engineering (Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Lucknow).
The only program not listed to be offered at Bhubaneswar, but offered elsewhere, is
- M.Engg in CAD CAM (ARSTPS – Chennai)
Besides the above; all the 15 CIPET centers offer the following diplomas and PG Diplomas:
- Diploma in Plastic mould technology (3 yrs)
- Diploma in Plastics technology (3 yrs)
- PG Diploma in plastic mould design (1 yrs)
- PG Diploma in plastic processing & testing (1.5 yrs)
Finally, the Mancheswar branch of CIPET offers the following programs:
- ITI-Fitter, ITI-Electrician, ITI-IT&ESM and ITI-Welder
- and various short term courses and CAD/CAM courses.
From the above it looks like CIPET Chennai and Bhubaneswar are among the leaders. However neither Odisha nor Tamil Nadu have a NIPER. (The original NIPER is near Mohali and Chandigarh. As part of the 11th plan, new NIPERs were made in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Hajipur, Ahmedabad, Guwahati and Rae Bareli.) I hope Odisha pursues and gets one during the next five year plan.
February 20th, 2010