Update 2: Tathya reports that the site mentioned below is not chosen by MHRD. They pick a site near Sunabeda.
Update1: Tathya.in has a report comparing the two sites that are in contention.
Following is from Dharitri.
June 15th, 2009
Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.
About 124 students of rural schools were felicitated by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday for their brilliant performance at the National Math Olympiad.
Shradha Ranjan Grahacharya, a Class IX student at Kanakpur in Jagatsighpur district, wants to be a scientist and do research in her favourite subject, algebra. Although mathematics as always been her favourite, she began to take greater interest in the field after she was selected for the Rural Mathematics Olympiad (RMO) in 2006 when she was in Class VI.
"After I was picked for the RMO camp, I started liking the subject even more. At the camp, teachers taught us some easy methods to solving difficult mathematical problems," said Shradha, who stood first in the Junior Mathematics Olympiad, 2008.
According to IMA director Swadhinananda Pattanaik, there is a lack of interest in mathematics among parents and teachers, especially in government schools in villages. Hence, the IMA has decided to make teaching of mathematics an interesting and fun-filled activity.
"In most classrooms, there is little opportunity to understand maths beyond the level of solving equations. Typically, students just memorize mathematical facts without actually understanding the subject," he said.
Encouraging the young mathematicians, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, "The IMA’s efforts are commendable, especially the special programmes to prepare students for premier institutes like IIT and NISER. This is the only institute of its kind in the country. I hope it will spread its wings globally very soon".
Besides the 124 young students, 33 senior students who performed well in the Regional and National Mathematics Olympiad were also felicitated. IMA is also conducting summer camps for undergraduate and post-graduate students.
June 15th, 2009