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Saturday, October 30, 2010
Top of the class to sex slave at 13 | News Unlimited
Top of the class to sex slave at 13
BRIGHT and pretty, Emma enjoyed a blissful childhood.
Her loving parents ran a local shop, brother Joe, 15, doted on her and at school she won Student Of The Year.
But her idyllic life was turned upside down when a ruthless sex gang infiltrated her circle of friends and mounted a two-year reign of terror.
Repeatedly raped, beaten and drugged, Emma, now 21, became one of a growing number of British school children in the clutch of gangs of vile sex attackers.
The nature of the crime makes it difficult to assess numbers involved, but last December, child protection agencies and local authorities in Scotland warned of a rise in child trafficking.
Here Sun Woman talks to Emma about her terrifying tale in the hope others will recognise the warning signs.EMMA was always on her phone, texting and chatting even through the night.
more at thesun
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Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
:: Welcome ::RTI
:: Welcome ::
In its role as the 'Knowledge Partner and National Resource Centre' (KP & NRC) for the 'Department of Personnel and Training' (DoPT), Government of India (GoI) the 'Centre for Good Governance (CGG), Hyderabad' would be carrying out such key functions as:
- Creating a Gateway to various resources on RTI; managing the Portal management and providing Technical Inputs
- Research, documentation and knowledge management
- Providing technical support and advisory services to DoPT and Information Commissions
- Facilitating stakeholder interactions
Right To Information Act (RTI) Logo & Portal Launched
It is a simple and iconic logo depicting a sheet of paper with information on it, and the public authority – providing the information. This represents people’s empowerment through transfer and accountability in Governance. The logo’s shape and structure make it easy to remember, recall and replicate with minimal distortion.
The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Shri Prithviraj Chavan launched the Logo on RTI and the RTI portal today in the presence of Shri. A N. Tiwari, Chief Information Commission and Shri. Shantanu Consul, Secretary, DoPT.
In the last five years the RTI regime has heralded a regime of transparency and accountability and strengthened the democratic structure of the country. Success stories of citizens using the RTI Act abound. The Act has achieved great success in empowering the citizens of India. However it was felt that the core values of the RTI regime – Empowerment, Transparency and Accountability- need to be given a shape in the form of a logo. The logo would be displayed at all public authorities and will be used in various communications related to RTI.
The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Shri Prithviraj Chavan launched the Logo on RTI and the RTI portal today in the presence of Shri. A N. Tiwari, Chief Information Commission and Shri. Shantanu Consul, Secretary, DoPT.
In the last five years the RTI regime has heralded a regime of transparency and accountability and strengthened the democratic structure of the country. Success stories of citizens using the RTI Act abound. The Act has achieved great success in empowering the citizens of India. However it was felt that the core values of the RTI regime – Empowerment, Transparency and Accountability- need to be given a shape in the form of a logo. The logo would be displayed at all public authorities and will be used in various communications related to RTI.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Kochi IPL team gets termination notice, but has 30 days to reply
Kochi IPL team gets termination notice, but has 30 days to reply: "The Kochi team has been given one last chance at survival with the Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council unanimously deciding to issue a termination notice to it and giving it 30 days to explain why the franchise should not be terminated.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar said after the council meeting in Nagpur today, that the Kochi franchise's breach was a remedial one and not like that of the other two teams that had been disqualified� - the Rajasthan Royals and the Kings XI Punjab. So, he said, it had been given a month to respond."
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar said after the council meeting in Nagpur today, that the Kochi franchise's breach was a remedial one and not like that of the other two teams that had been disqualified� - the Rajasthan Royals and the Kings XI Punjab. So, he said, it had been given a month to respond."
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Hindu : Mobile number portability from Nov. 1
The Hindu : News / National : Mobile number portability from Nov. 1: Raja: "Telecom Minister A. Raja on Tuesday said the mobile number portability (MNP) facility, which allows subscribers to retain numbers even after changing service operators, will be rolled out from November 1, starting with Haryana.
“November 1 onwards MNP would be operational partially... We wanted to inaugurate it in Haryana,” Mr. Raja told reporters in New Delhi."
“November 1 onwards MNP would be operational partially... We wanted to inaugurate it in Haryana,” Mr. Raja told reporters in New Delhi."
Celebritology 2.0 - Rumor Mill: Taylor Swift dating Jake Gyllenhaal
Celebritology 2.0 - Rumor Mill: Taylor Swift dating Jake Gyllenhaal: "Someone should warn Jake Gyllenhaal that Taylor Swift writes scathing songs about her exes because, according to People magazine, Swift (20) and Gyllenhaal (29) spent the weekend 'laughing, eating and strolling together in New York City.'"
Oracle octopus Paul dies
One of the biggest stars of the 2010 FIFA World Cup – Oracle Paul – died on Tuesday, in the Sea Life Aquarium, in the German city of Oberhausen.
The Octopus became a global celebrity after accurately predicting the outcome of all Germany’s matches in South Africa, as well as the Spanish victory in the final against the Netherlands.
Common octopuses live an average of no more than three years, so Paul was not expected to work at the next big football event, which is Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.
Satyam Scam: SC cancels Ramaliga Raju’s bail, to surrender by Nov 8
Satyam Scam: SC cancels Ramaliga Raju’s bail, to surrender by Nov 8: "The Supreme Court Tuesday cancelled the bail plea of B Ramaliga Raju and five others in the Satyam fraud case. The former estranged chief of Satyam Computer Services will now have to surrender to the police by November 8.
Raju, who was arrested and charged in the company’s multi-crore fraud, popularly known at the ‘Satyam Scam,’ was denied bail by the SC after the CBI contended that the former chief could try to influence witnesses. The CBI also alerted that Raju must have already approached some of the witnesses while on bail.
Raju and five others accused in the scam have been given a dateline of November 8 to surrender before the police.
However, there are speculations as to whether Raju would be jailed or be back to hospital where he had been admitted for a minor heart attack.
He was earlier granted bail by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on account of health issue."
Raju, who was arrested and charged in the company’s multi-crore fraud, popularly known at the ‘Satyam Scam,’ was denied bail by the SC after the CBI contended that the former chief could try to influence witnesses. The CBI also alerted that Raju must have already approached some of the witnesses while on bail.
Raju and five others accused in the scam have been given a dateline of November 8 to surrender before the police.
However, there are speculations as to whether Raju would be jailed or be back to hospital where he had been admitted for a minor heart attack.
He was earlier granted bail by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on account of health issue."
Response to global crises must prioritise zero tolerance for corruption
Response to global crises must prioritise zero tolerance for corruption
Berlin, 26 October 2010
With governments committing huge sums to tackle the world’s most pressing problems, from the instability of financial markets to climate change and poverty, corruption remains an obstacle to achieving much needed progress, according to Transparency International’s 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), a measure of domestic, public sector corruption released today.
The 2010 CPI shows that nearly three quarters of the 178 countries in the index score below five, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 10 (perceived to have low levels of corruption), indicating a serious corruption problem.
“These results signal that significantly greater efforts must go into strengthening governance across the globe. With the livelihoods of so many at stake, governments’ commitments to anti-corruption, transparency and accountability must speak through their actions. Good governance is an essential part of the solution to the global policy challenges governments face today,” said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International (TI).
To fully address these challenges, governments need to integrate anti-corruption measures in all spheres, from the responses to the financial crisis and climate change to commitments by the international community to eradicate poverty. For this reason TI advocates stricter implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption, the only global initiative that provides a framework for putting an end to corruption.
“Allowing corruption to continue is unacceptable; too many poor and vulnerable people continue to suffer its consequences around the world. We need to see more enforcement of existing rules and laws. There should be nowhere to hide for the corrupt or their money,” said Labelle.
Corruption Perceptions Index 2010: The results
In the 2010 CPI, Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore tie for first place with scores of 9.3. Unstable governments, often with a legacy of conflict, continue to dominate the bottom rungs of the CPI. Afghanistan and Myanmar share second to last place with a score of 1.4, with Somalia coming in last with a score of 1.1.
Where source surveys for individual countries remain the same, and where there is corroboration by more than half of those sources, real changes in perceptions can be ascertained. Using these criteria, it is possible to establish an improvement in scores from 2009 to 2010 for Bhutan, Chile, Ecuador, FYR Macedonia, Gambia, Haiti, Jamaica, Kuwait, and Qatar. Similarly, a decline in scores from 2009 to 2010 can be identified for the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Madagascar, Niger and the United States.
Financial fallout
Notable among decliners are some of the countries most affected by a financial crisis precipitated by transparency and integrity deficits. Among those improving, the general absence of OECD states underlines the fact that all nations need to bolster their good governance mechanisms.
TI’s assessment of 36 industrialised countries party to the OECD anti-bribery convention, which forbids bribery of foreign officials, reveals that as many as 20 show little or no enforcement of the rules, sending the wrong signal about their commitment to curb corrupt practices. While corruption continues to plague fledgling states, hampering their efforts to build and strengthen institutions, protect human rights and improve livelihoods, corrupt international flows continue to be considerable.
“The results of this year’s CPI show again that corruption is a global problem that must be addressed in global policy reforms. It is commendable that the Group of 20 in pursuing financial reform has made strong commitments to transparency and integrity ahead of their November summit in Seoul,” said Labelle. “But the process of reform itself must be accelerated.”
TI calls on the G20 to mandate greater government oversight and public transparency in all measures they take to reduce systemic risks and opportunities for corruption and fraud in the public as well as in the private sector.
The message is clear: across the globe, transparency and accountability are critical to restoring trust and turning back the tide of corruption. Without them, global policy solutions to many global crises are at risk.
###
Transparency International is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption
Monday, October 25, 2010
Video games have overtaken movie theaters in popularity
Video games have overtaken movie theaters in popularity.
Vision for India –Japan Strategic and Global Partnership in the Next Decade
Vision for India –Japan Strategic and Global Partnership in the Next Decade
1. The Prime Minister of India, H.E. Dr. Manmohan Singh, is currently paying an Official Working Visit to Japan for the Annual Summit of the Prime Ministers on 24-26 October 2010 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Japan, H. E. Mr. Naoto Kan. The two Prime Ministers held extensive talks on bilateral, regional and global issues of shared interest on 25 October 2010.
2. The two Prime Ministers reiterated the fundamental identity of values, interests and priorities between Japan and India. They reaffirmed the political commitment in both countries cutting across party lines and popular desire for upgrading bilateral relations, and valued their cooperation for sustained peace and prosperity in a changing and dynamic Asia and the world. In this context, they expressed their common desire to further consolidate, enhance and expand the Strategic and Global Partnership between them through the second decade of the 21st Century.
3. The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction at the steady growth of political exchanges, dialogue and policy coordination at all levels. They positively evaluated Ministerial-level annual dialogues and exchanges between Foreign Minister, Defense Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and External Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India and noted that all these exchanges were successfully accomplished in 2010. They also supported the establishment of a Ministerial Level Economic Dialogue between India and Japan to give strategic and long-term policy orientation to their bilateral economic engagement, taking into account the regional and global context and to coordinate economic issues of cross-cutting nature, including infrastructure development and financing. They welcomed the launch of the e2 plus 2f dialogue at Subcabinet / Senior Official level and the launch of a dialogue on Africa at the official level in 2010 as a reflection of wider policy consultation and coordination on foreign policy and security issues.
4. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations on a balanced and mutually beneficial India - Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). They directed their relevant authorities to work towards early entry into force of CEPA and its smooth implementation. They expressed optimism that India-Japan CEPA will deepen their economic engagement, in terms of trade in goods and services, investment and cooperation and contribute to mutual prosperity. They hailed CEPA between these two leading economies of Asia as an important step for @ regional integration. They noted with satisfaction the recent growth in Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) into India and hoped that CEPA and the Memorandum on Simplifying Visa Procedures, the latter signed today, will further facilitate the presence of Japanese businesspersons in India.
5. The two Prime Ministers underlined the vital importance of economic cooperation, including Japanfs Official Development Assistance to India and Special Economic Partnership Initiatives, in strengthening India-Japan partnership. Prime Minister Singh expressed his appreciation to the Government and the people of Japan for Japanfs generous role in India's development. The two Prime Ministers aimed for early completion of both phases of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor in India in a parallel manner with Japanfs financial and technical assistance, and noted with satisfaction the progress on the Phase II of the Corridor with the signing of the Exchange of Notes for the Engineering Services for Phase II in July 2010. They expressed their desire to accelerate progress on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Prime Minister Kan expressed his intention to enhance Japanfs involvement to DMICDC (Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation) through the efforts of related organizations such as JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) and AOTS (Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship). The two Prime Ministers positively appraised the efforts from both sides to develop the Corridor in an eco-friendly manner as gSmart Communitiesh and welcomed the progress of cooperation in the field of urban development. They took note of the potential of the DMIC project to enhance physical connectivity across Asia. They encouraged greater investment from Japan into India including in the infrastructure sector over the next decade to realize this vision, and asked their respective sides to engage in dialogues on public-private partnership on DMIC. Prime Minister Singh appreciated Japanfs decision on the extension of the period of technical cooperation programme, Visionary Leaders for Manufacturing (VLFM) Programme. The two Prime Ministers hoped that this programme will contribute to the development of manufacturing sector in India.
6. The two Prime Ministers welcomed India-Japan cooperation in development of new and renewable energy, and clean coal technology and enhancing energy efficiency in Indiafs power sector and encouraged the India-Japan Ministerial Level Energy Dialogue to facilitate pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation in other related areas to further strengthen energy security. In this context, they also welcomed the establishment of a Nuclear Energy Working Group under the Energy Dialogue in April 2010 to exchange views and information on their respective nuclear energy policies from the energy, economic and industrial perspectives. They further welcomed the exchange of information between the nuclear energy industries of the two countries including through business missions. The two Prime Ministers recognized the importance of promoting cooperation between the two countriesf industries in expanding bilateral energy cooperation on a commercial basis, including through the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Recognizing the importance of rare earths and rare metals for future industries, the two Prime Ministers decided to explore the possibility of bilateral cooperation in development, re-cycling and re-use of rare earths and rare metals and in research and development of their industrial substitutes.
7. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the commencement of negotiations between India and Japan on an Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy in June 2010. They affirmed that cooperation in this sector will open up new opportunities for further developing the India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership. They encouraged their negotiators to arrive at a mutually satisfactory agreement for civil nuclear cooperation at an early date.
8. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the progress made in 2010 on facilitation of trade in high technology between the two countries. They asked the relevant authorities to maintain dialogue on high technology trade including respective export control systems and realize its full potential keeping in mind the strategic partnership between the two countries.
9. The two Prime Ministers decided to steadily expand security and defense cooperation between India and Japan. They aimed to cooperate to enhance their capacity in responding to security challenges such as maritime security which entails safety and freedom of navigation and counter-piracy, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and response, inter alia, through bilateral and multilateral exercises, information sharing, training and dialogue. In this context, they welcomed the launch of India-Japan Shipping Policy Forum and mutual exchange of schedules of escort operations by the Indian Navy and Japan Self-Defense Forces in the Gulf of Aden. They instructed relevant authorities to realize the full potential of the Action Plan to advance Security Cooperation signed in 2009, based on the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between India and Japan.
10. The two Prime Ministers condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purpose. Prime Minister Kan condemned terrorist attacks in and against India, such as the bomb blast in Pune on 13 February 2010 and in Kabul on 26 February 2010, in which Indians as well as other nationals were targeted. They decided to enhance greater cooperation in combating terrorism through information-sharing and counter-terrorism training as well as utilizing the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. They recognized the urgent need to finalize and adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the United Nations and called upon all States to cooperate in resolving the outstanding issues expeditiously. Japan welcomed Indiafs membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and India appreciated Japanfs support towards this.
11. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the progress made in Science and Technology cooperation, including the India-Japan Cooperative Science Programme. In order to realize full potential of cooperation in this field, they encouraged their respective authorities to promote the cooperative research in the strategic and high technology areas such as Green Innovation and Life Innovation. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the establishment and the holding of gCommittee on India-Japan ICT (Information and Communication Technology) strategy for economic growthh and gIndia-Japan ICT regulatory policy talkh. They shared the view that they will further enhance business tie-ups, R&D collaborative activities and policy cooperation in the field of information and communication technology through close bilateral cooperation.
12. The two Prime Ministers recognized the importance of strengthening cultural, academic and people-to-people exchanges between India and Japan to reflect their strategic partnership and popular goodwill. They hoped that the signing of the Memorandum on Simplifying Visa Procedures will further facilitate the movement of people between India and Japan. Prime Minister Kan appreciated Indiafs provision of the Visa on Arrival facility for Japanese tourists in India on experimental basis for 2010. They reiterated their commitment to collaborating in the development of the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IITH) through various contributions from Japan including through Official Development Assistance and encouraged@the relevant authorities to work towards early creation of physical infrastructure for IITH. They welcomed the on-going exchanges between IITH and Japanese academia and industry, including the visits of the students and young professors of IITH to Japan within the framework of Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) programme and the kick-off of Information Network for Natural Disaster Mitigation and Recovery under Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS). They also welcomed the fact that the collaboration for the development of the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing Jabalpur is enhanced with the cooperation of Japanese universities and companies.
13. The two Prime Ministers decided to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan in 2012 in a befitting manner. They directed their officials to bring out a calendar of exchanges and events, aimed at bringing the two nations closer, to mark this important anniversary.
14. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their support for the East Asia Summit (EAS) as an open, inclusive, transparent and outward-looking forum, striving to strengthen global norms and universally recognized values and promoting peace, stability and prosperity across East Asia, of which India and Japan are key members. In this context, they welcomed the recent decision of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers to invite the United States and the Russian Federation to join as members of the EAS. They also supported existing achievements such as Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) and its three-pillar approach for regional cooperation. They welcomed Japanfs Concept Paper gInitial Steps towards Regional Economic Integration in East Asia: A Gradual Approachh. They also welcomed ERIAfs gComprehensive Asian Development Planh, and recognized the importance of hard infrastructure and industrial policy in the Mekong-India Corridor Study, whose implementation could be further discussed between relevant authorities and entities. They discussed ways for enhancing greater economic integration and connectivity between India and the East Asian region. They encouraged their officials to examine studies undertaken by ERIA and other think-tanks in the East Asia region relating to transport and industrial development corridors in the peninsular region of India. Prime Minister Singh noted with appreciation Japanfs initiative for an East Asian Community, in which India is expected to play an important role. Prime Minister Kan welcomed Indiafs initiative to revive Nalanda University and expressed Japanfs continued support to this initiative which will strengthen the cultural and civilizational bonds between the countries in Asia.
15. The two Prime Ministers expressed their commitment to assisting Afghanistan to become a stable, democratic and pluralistic nation free of terrorism and extremism. They emphasized the importance of a coherent and united international commitment to Afghan-led initiatives. Prime Minister Kan expressed that such a commitment encompasses security assistance, including assistance towards Afghan National Police, reintegration of insurgents, and development. Prime Minister Singh emphasized the importance of strengthening and adequate training of the Afghan National Security Forces so that they can defend the sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan. They concurred that the process of reintegration should not deviate from the principles expressed in the Kabul Conference. The two Prime Ministers pledged to explore opportunities for consultation and coordination on their respective civilian assistance projects, including those projects implemented in the neighboring countries, that advance Afghan leadership and ownership and build civilian capacity.
16. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Kan stressed the importance of bringing into force the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) at an early date. Prime Minister Singh reiterated Indiafs commitment to a unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing. They supported the strengthening of international cooperation with a view to addressing the challenges of nuclear terrorism and clandestine proliferation and expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Nuclear Security Summit of April 2010, including the establishment by Japan of the Integrated Comprehensive Support Center for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Security to be established in Japan and the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership to be established by India. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to working together for immediate commencement and an early conclusion of negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) in the Conference on Disarmament. They further reiterated that nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are mutually reinforcing processes. They also underscored the importance of peaceful uses of nuclear energy and of further strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation efforts. They decided that both countries will enhance cooperation in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation through close dialogues, including at regularly held bilateral nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation meetings as well as at the Conference on Disarmament.
17. The two Prime Ministers reiterated the importance of a positive result for the current climate change negotiations at the forthcoming conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Mexico, and reaffirmed their determination to work together towards this conference. They stressed that the outcome should be reached in an inclusive and transparent manner and should effectively address the challenge of climate change in accordance with the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC. They decided that the Copenhagen Accord should contribute positively to such an outcome. The two Prime Ministers also reaffirmed the importance of strengthening bilateral discussions on climate change on various occasions, including a possible establishment of a framework of comprehensive bilateral cooperation.
18. Prime Minister Singh congratulated Japan for hosting the 10th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) on Biodiversity in Nagoya on 18th-29th October 2010 and wished it a successful outcome, including the adoption of the Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing. As prospective host of the next meeting of COP on Biodiversity in 2012, India looks forward to a close working relationship with Japan during its Presidency and beyond Nagoya.
19. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their resolve to realize a comprehensive reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, especially its expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories which has commanded the maximum support from UN member states in the text-based intergovernmental negotiations in the UN General Assembly They shared their view that both countries would participate actively in these negotiations and decided to accelerate their efforts, bilaterally as well as in close cooperation with the G4 and other like-minded countries, to achieve a meaningful result during the current session of the General Assembly , so as to make the Security Council more representative, legitimate, effective, and responsive to the realities of the international community in the 21st century.
20. The two Prime Ministers recognized that a positive outcome of the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) of trade talks will be instrumental in economic recovery. They reaffirmed that a prompt, ambitious and balanced, as well as successful conclusion of the DDA would bolster the credibility of the multilateral trading system. They appreciated the momentum to rejuvenate the DDA negotiations and resolved to work together towards bridging the remaining negotiating gaps.
21. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the role of the G-20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation and reiterated their commitment to work together and with other partners to pursue urgent and effective implementation of G-20 Summit decisions. They reaffirmed the importance of their cooperation for the Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth. They expressed their commitment to reform financial sector so as to prevent recurrence of financial crisis. They expressed support for the reform of the international financial institutions (IFIs) including IMF within the internationally recognized time frame to enhance their legitimacy, credibility and effectiveness. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to eschewing protectionism in all its forms covering trade in goods and services as well as investment and financial flows.
22. Prime Minister Singh expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality of Prime Minister Kan. Prime Minister Singh extended an invitation to Prime Minister Kan for the next Annual Bilateral Summit in India in 2011 at a mutually convenient date to be decided through diplomatic channels. Prime Minister Kan accepted the invitation with pleasure.
India, Japan must synergise their strengths to give momentum to Asian, global economic growth: PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that India hopes that japan will be its partner in expanding its nuclear energy programme for peaceful uses but said that India recognizes the sensitivity of this subject in Japan and he will not force the issue. He was replying to a question at the business luncheon meeting in Tokyo on Monday. Earlier in an interview also, the Prime Minister had made it clear that no dead lines have been laid down for concluding the negotiations on civil nuclear energy cooperation.In his address to the business and industry leaders on Monday Dr. Singh said that Japan as a global leader in energy efficient technologies can play a significant role in helping meet India growing energy requirements. He said that cooperation in this area will enable the Japanese companies to participate in India's ambitious nuclear energy programme. He sought the Japanese technology and investment in conventional and new and renewable energy.Dr Singh said that more than ever before India's buoyant economy, its young population and large markets can combine well with the technological prowess, manufacturing skills and financial resources of Japan. The Prime Minister said that he strongly believes that the two countries must synergise their complementary strengths to give momentum to Asian as well as global economic growth and prosperity.He said that bilateral trade between the two sides has made a robust rebound this year and it should cross 20 billion US dollars by 2012, which he said is still not only below the potential but is unbalanced. He however said that Comprehensive Economic partnership Agreement will enable business from both sides to exploit their respective strengths for mutual benefits.Dr Singh said that that India would like to see free flow of high technologies to our country. The Indian business delegation at meet was led by Mukesh Ambani. In the next five year plan, India is envisaging financial outlays of over one trillion US dollars on infrastructure and private investment will play a larger role in achieving this target. Prime Minister said that India will welcome the role of Japanese companies in the development of economic infrastructure of India.
BBC News - Corporal punishment 'widespread' in Indian schools
BBC News - Corporal punishment 'widespread' in Indian schools: "Corporal punishment is still widespread in India's schools, despite the fact it is illegal, according to a report.
More than 65% of children on average said they had received corporal punishment, according to children's organisation Plan International.
Its report found that the majority of these children attended state schools.
Out of the 13 countries which were the subjects of the research, India was ranked third in terms of the estimated economic cost of corporal punishment.
Stick beatings
The study, Prevention Pays, found discrimination by caste and gender was the major cause of violence against children in India.
Plan said many children abandoned school because of the punishments, which included hitting pupils with hands or sticks, making them stand in various positions for long periods and tying them to chairs."
More than 65% of children on average said they had received corporal punishment, according to children's organisation Plan International.
Its report found that the majority of these children attended state schools.
Out of the 13 countries which were the subjects of the research, India was ranked third in terms of the estimated economic cost of corporal punishment.
Stick beatings
The study, Prevention Pays, found discrimination by caste and gender was the major cause of violence against children in India.
Plan said many children abandoned school because of the punishments, which included hitting pupils with hands or sticks, making them stand in various positions for long periods and tying them to chairs."
Sunday, October 24, 2010
China becomes Volvo's third largest market: State media
China has become the third largest market for Volvo, which was recently acquired by Chinese car maker Geely, state media reported Saturday. Alexander Klose, head of Volvo Cars China , made the comments at a trade show in the northern city of Tianjin, according to the official Xinhua news agency. He said sales of the Swedish brand's vehicles had soared in the world's largest auto market in 2010.
source: ET
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Wikileaks releases 4 lakh papers on Iraq war
In the largest classified military leak in the US history, whistleblowing website WikiLeaks has released nearly 4 lakh secret American documents on Iraq war detailing graphic accounts of torture, killing of over 66,000 civilians and Iran's role in the conflict.
The latest leaked documents, chronicling the Iraq war from 2004 to 2009, provide a new picture of how many Iraqi civilians were killed, open a new window on the role that Iran played in supporting Iraqi militants and give many accounts of abuse by the Iraqi Army and police. This was disclosed by the 'The New York Times', one of the news organisations which got early access to the papers.
WikiLeaks, which released the papers despite Pentagon's warning that it could endanger informants and reveal war strategy, called the document drop the largest-classified military leak in history.
In a news release, the group said the documents detail 109,032 deaths in Iraq, encompassing 66,081 civilians, 23,984 insurgents, 15,196 Iraqi government forces and 3,771 coalition forces, according to the classifications used by the US military.
The Pentagon strongly condemned the unauthorised disclosure of classified information contained in 392,000 documents.
WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Julian Assange told CNN that the new round of field reports shows "compelling evidence of war crimes" committed by forces of the US-led coalition and the Iraqi government.
Earlier this year, WikiLeaks had released 92,000 Afghan war-related documents.
Friday, October 22, 2010
world's tallest statue of Lord Hanuman in Shimla
Lord Hanuman's idol, which will be world's tallest statue at the highest altitude, to be unveiled at Shimla on November 4.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Women more gloomy than men in old age, study says
Also in the News - Women more gloomy than men in old age, study says http://ping.fm/JnMFP
via Ping.fm
For palimony, prove it's not just sex, says Supreme Court
For palimony, prove it's not just sex, says Supreme Court
via Ping.fm
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Internet users to exceed 2 billion this year
Internet users to exceed 2 billion this year http://ow.ly/2VOpR
The amazing success story of redBus | News Unlimited
The amazing success story of redBus | News Unlimited http://ping.fm/zfd76
How taking the Pill can bring out woman’s jealous and possessive side
How taking the Pill can bring out woman’s jealous side http://ow.ly/2WdUV
Steve Jobs Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
Steve Jobs Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish : dt 20.10.2010 http://ow.ly/2We9U Highly inspiring speech ever!
RP ranking dips in Press Freedom Index; just imagine India rank!! In top 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 90, Top 100??? You're wrong!
India slipped to 122nd place mainly due to extreme violence in Kashmir
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
October 19, 1949: The People's Republic of China is formally proclaimed
October 19, 1949> The People's Republic of China is formally proclaimed.
http://newsunlimited.in/Prosperity belongs to those who learn new things the fastest
"Prosperity belongs to those who learn new things the fastest." Paul Zane Pilzer
Karim Nagar youth dies in America
Racharla Rajendra Prasad, 28, working as a software engineer died on October 17 due to ill-health.
Rajendra Prasad was a native of Choppadandi village in Karimnagar district. He had completed B. Tech from Bapatla Engineering College US India
quiz: Who was criticised for holding men-only basketball games?
News quiz (2.11.2009)
1. Talks to avert the second round of postal strikes collapsed this week. Where were the talks held?
Correct answer: TUC
2. A fossilised skull found on the Dorset coast belonged to which prehistoric predator?
Correct answer: Pliosaur
3. In which country’s courts is a challenge to the legality of the EU Lisbon treaty to be heard?
Correct answer: Czech Republic
4. Which sporting icon admitted to having taken crystal meth during his career?
Correct answer: Andre Agassi
5. Who was criticised for holding men-only basketball games?
Correct answer: Barack Obama
http://newsunlimited.in/About TIFR
I. About TIFR
1. Introduction
The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), founded in 1945, is
an aided institution funded by the Government of India through the
Department of Atomic Energy. Its mission is to carry out world-class
research in all areas of the fundamental sciences. It is committed to
training young researchers and is a Deemed University. The main campus
of TIFR is in Mumbai and it has Centres, Field Stations and Facilities
spread across India.2. History
TIFR was founded by the legendary Indian scientist Dr Homi Jehangir
Bhabha. With support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the
Government of Bombay Presidency, TIFR began to function from rented
premises at Kenilworth, a bungalow on Peddar Road in Bombay. It grew
rapidly in the first few years and soon moved to the much larger Old
Yacht Club premises. In 1954 Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone for
TIFR's permanent campus at Colaba, Mumbai on a beautiful site on the
seashore on land transferred from the Ministry of Defence. Another
site across the road was provided for the Institute's housing. The new
buildings were inaugurated by Prime Minister Nehru in 1962.Initially, the main research areas were Cosmic Rays and High Energy
Physics, Theoretical Physics, and Mathematics. Soon after, the
Institute extended its activities to include fields such as Nuclear
Physics, Nuclear and Electron Magnetism, Solid State (now Condensed
Matter) Physics, Computer Science, Geophysics, and later Molecular
Biology, Radio, Infrared, and X-ray Astronomy, Theoretical
Astrophysics, and Science Education.Soon after founding TIFR, Dr Homi Bhabha launched the nation’s
research and development activity in the area of atomic energy.
Technology for this purpose, including electronics, was initially
developed at TIFR, which is therefore acknowledged as the “cradle” of
India’s atomic energy programme.India's first computer (TIFRAC) was designed and constructed at TIFR.
The contribution of TIFR to the development of advanced technology in
India goes much beyond this to include other emerging fields such as
Accelerators, Microwave Communications, Software Technology,
Semiconductor Technology, Chemical Sciences and Educational Research.
Some of these groups later became the nuclei of dedicated
organizations, such as the National Centre for Software Technology
(NCST), Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL) and the microwave
engineering research laboratory (SAMEER).3. Growth
As TIFR expanded the scope of its activities it also grew
geographically, developing Centres, Field Stations and Research
Facilities in different parts of the country. The four Centres of TlFR
today are: the National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS),
Bangalore; the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics in (NCRA) Pune,
the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Anushaktinagar,
Mumbai, and the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS),
due to come up in Bangalore. In addition, the Centre for Applicable
Mathematics (CAM) is located in Bangalore. Apart from its centres, TIFR also has large facilities and field
stations located across the country: The Cosmic Ray Laboratory, (CRL),
Ooty; the Radio Astronomy Centre (RAC), Ooty, the Gravitation
Laboratory, Gauribidnur, Karnataka, the Giant Metre-wave Radio
Telescope (GMRT), Khodad, Maharashtra, the High Energy Gamma Ray
Observatory, Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh; and the Balloon Facility,
Hyderabad. TIFR runs a Pelletron Accelerator Facility with a
superconducting LINAC Booster and the National Facility for High-Field
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. The Institute plays a leading role in
major national projects such as the ASTROSAT mission of ISRO, with
instruments for X-ray and UV astronomy, and the India Neutrino
Observatory (INO) which is being built for the large-scale underground
detection of neutrinos. TIFR actively participates in large-scale
international projects such as the LHC in CERN, Geneva and the Belle
experiment at KEK, Japan.TIFR has grown significantly during every decade since its founding.
From its original location on 6000 square feet of rented premises at
Kenilworth, it expanded six-fold in its first four years to occupy
35,000 square feet at the Old Yacht Club buildings. By the early
1950’s it started to function from military barracks in Navy Nagar
even before buildings came up on the two 15-acre sites that would
become the location of its permanent campus. Subsequently the
Institute’s Centres started to function from many different locations:
a 5.5-acre site for HBCSE at Mankhurd, Mumbai; a 15-acre site for NCRA
at Pune; a 20-acre site for NCBS at Bangalore, a 4.5-acre site for the
NCBS hostel and CAM, and most recently a 17-acre site for ICTS in
north Bangalore. The Facilities and Field Stations are also spread out
over locations across the country, including a 98-acre site for the
Radio Astronomy Centre (RAC), Ooty, a 40-acre site for the Gravitation
Laboratory, Gauribidnur, Karnataka and a 400-acre site for the Giant
Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT), Khodad, Maharashtra.All these dedicated Centres and Facilities were set up in response to
definite scientific needs. The need in today’s emerging landscape,
however, is to interconnect different strands of scientific activity
in one campus. The new campus at Hyderabad is being established for
this purpose. 4. Training of young researchers
A unique feature of TIFR is that its research programmes have
incorporated the training of Ph.D. students in a central way. The
number of students increased steadily over the years, and towards the
end of the 1960s, a Graduate School, offering a number of courses, was
set up. TIFR students received a Ph.D. degree from Bombay University
until 2002, when TIFR was declared a Deemed University and began to
award its own degrees. The wide breadth of activities of TIFR is
covered by the six subject boards: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry,
Biology, Computer & Systems Sciences and Science Education. The
graduate courses are taught at the Colaba campus and the Centres.TIFR research students at Pune and Bangalore also benefit from
cooperation with neighbouring institutions, such as IUCAA, Pune
University and IISER in Pune and the Indian Institute of Science in
Bangalore. Equally, students from those institutions can attend
lectures in the TIFR graduate school. At present over 450 postgraduate and doctoral students are enrolled in
TIFR’s Deemed University. Students graduating from TIFR are well
trained to take up challenging careers in science (academic as well as
application-oriented) and other fields. Many former TIFR students are
today faculty members at leading universities in India and abroad.
TIFR is proud of this contribution to the nation's pool of highly
skilled researchers. Our desire to enhance this programme even further
is another of the motivations to set up a new campus.
II. TIFR Hyderabad
1. The Vision
In its 2010 report, the Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
states that for India to become a knowledge-based society and a global
leader in scientific research, it is essential to strengthen
scientific infrastructure, make all efforts to draw the brightest
minds to scientific research, and create institutions of the highest
standards of excellence.Today, at a time when India aspires to become a world leader in
science, TIFR truly symbolises the advances that our nation has made
at the frontiers of scientific research. At the threshold of rapid
growth, India has the ability to become a significant creator and user
of scientific knowledge; the realization of this ability is expected
to power a surge of development and economic growth. There is a strong
potential for this to happen, as we are a youthful country with a
strong commitment to support science and its applications.As part of this national effort, TIFR now proposes to expand in a
major way by setting up a new campus. The development of a new campus
at this critical juncture will allow TIFR to keep intact its essential
character, with a wide set of diverse but individually excellent
programs, and a readiness to embark on ambitious new projects as and
when necessary.The new campus at Hyderabad will enable the commencement of new
activities as well as the expansion of existing activities. The vision
for the new campus is based on an integrated view of modern science,
springing from the priorities and aspirations of our nation today.With its tradition of engaging with research at the frontiers,
training researchers at the highest level, and successfully seeding
new initiatives in its different national centres, TIFR is uniquely
poised to contribute to the national effort in a strong and
distinctive way.This backdrop motivates the three main elements of the vision of
TIFR’s new campus:•the unification of traditional disciplines under common themes,
while maintaining the rigour that characterizes individual
disciplines.
•the convergence of fundamental and applied sciences, facilitating
the emergence of new technologies.
•the unification of teaching and research in ways that reinforce and
elevate each other.A large number of young scientists will join this enterprise, thus
providing a valuable resource of trained research leaders for India in
the 21st century. TIFR Hyderabad is expected to eventually have a
strength of 1250 to 1500 doctoral students, several hundred
post-doctoral fellows, and a faculty strength of 250. It will have a
very strong visitors’ programme with a special focus on doctoral
students and researchers from the developing nations. After an extensive search in various locations in the country, TIFR
finally decided to set up its new campus on a site of 209 acres in the
city of Hyderabad. The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued a G.O. on
28 January 2009 allotting this land to TIFR. The site adjoins the
University of Hyderabad, with whom TIFR looks forward to a
long-lasting academic partnership involving mutually beneficial
collaborations. An MOU outlining a plan for academic links between the
two institutions was signed in November 2008 between the University of
Hyderabad and TIFR in the presence of the then CM of Andhra Pradesh.2. The Concept
The new campus will have a thrust centered on basic research in areas
which are as critical to a nation’s progress today as nuclear science
was in the 1950s. The national and international scene is of course
very different in 2010. But, as was the case then, there are areas of
basic science intimately linked to the major concerns of the times
such as, for example, health, energy, and communication. Research
related to these themes is seeing world-wide progress at an ever
increasing rate. The country needs a strong base in these areas to
successfully create knowledge, and contribute to and compete in the
new developments. This venture requires a careful choice of areas and
faculty, and a commitment to attract and train a large number of
talented and motivated research students at an advanced level. The
thrust cannot be in isolation – it must both add value to and draw
strength from educational, research, and development programmes in
other institutions, including but by no means limited to those in the
TIFR system.In the initial years the science at the new centre is intended to
focus on themes carefully chosen within and across Optical Science,
Condensed Matter, Materials and Chemistry, and the Life Sciences, or
in other words, “Light, Matter and Life”. Each of these themes is of
great contemporary importance, and the institute is well placed to
develop them on a significant scale with high impact. Importantly,
these themes have close interconnections with each other. Moreover,
they are closely linked to areas of health, energy and communication
mentioned above. Therefore a strong linkage with potential
applications will be built in from the start.These themes will attract the younger generation of scientists in
India, as they have all over the world. It is envisaged that there
would be a large number of graduate students, postdoctoral
researchers, and visitors. This will enhance many-fold the
contribution that TIFR already makes to the pool of highly skilled
scientific manpower in the country, in areas of national needs in the
years to come. Moreover, it is proposed to launch a vigorous programme
in science education, drawing on our successful experience with the
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education. In particular, the proximity
of vibrant research programmes on campus would provide an ideal
setting for participating students and teachers. The campus of TIFR Hyderabad adjoins that of the University of
Hyderabad, one of India's highest rated Central Universities. This
proximity is bound to generate synergy in research and in conducting
advanced academic programmes, such as workshops, conferences, and
courses. The desire for close academic contact has led to the signing
of an MoU between the two institutions. Many other academic
institutions in Hyderabad also have interests overlapping with the
proposed themes and fruitful interactions will be encouraged. The campus will have its academic areas interspersed with open green
areas. A phased plan for growth is a key feature of space utilization.
While the exact pattern of growth over many decades cannot be
precisely foreseen, we will allow for such developments in the master
plan in such a way as to facilitate contiguous expansion of related
areas in the future.In brief, the proposed campus will pursue fundamental knowledge in
critical areas, identify, attract, and nurture talent to generate a
strong force of young scientists equipped to face the challenges of
the twenty first century, and open its doors to work jointly with
like-minded individuals and institutions.The academic faculty of TIFR Hyderabad is envisaged to reach about 250
eventually. In the initial stages the campus will see the initiation
of activities largely in the theme areas concerned with Light, Matter
and Life. Small groups in chemistry, biology, lasers and optics,
magnetic resonance, condensed matter and soft matter are ready to
initiate this stage which is planned around a total strength of about
15-20 faculty members including both current TIFR staff moving to
Hyderabad and new recruits in this period.This nucleus will be well supported from existing TIFR campuses, but
will, from the outset, evolve structures and strategies suited to the
new campus, keeping in mind the overall vision outlined above. In
terms of infrastructure, a well-equipped single inter-disciplinary
laboratory building is planned, tentatively to be called the “TIFR
Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences”, which will help get the
scientific programmes off to a good start. All scientists and
students, from all disciplines, will share this building and
facilities. Teaching and the training of research students will form a
core activity right from the start.Subsequently the intention is to consolidate and grow the above themes
with the establishment of vigorous groups with a thrust within and
across fields, and to expand the graduate student teaching and
research programmes strongly. A few new emerging areas may also be
initiated as and when their appropriateness and importance comes to be
realised. Some new academic buildings (for instance, the new NMR
centre) would come up in a planned manner, along with housing for
faculty and staff, and hostels for students.From our experience with TIFR Mumbai, we expect that in TIFR Hyderabad
too there will eventually be a diversification of themes and an
approach to a steady state in which there is a broad coverage of
topics from all the sciences, mathematics and related areas. This
steady state will be a dynamic one, with the choice of topics dictated
by new frontiers emerging and older frontiers receding. Totally new
directions, which cannot be envisaged today, are bound to emerge and
will be initiated. The number of faculty is projected to grow to
around 250, with twice the number of postdoctoral fellows, five to six
times the number of students and an appropriate number of technical
support staff. 3. The Science
In his original proposal to the Sir Dorab Tata Trust, Homi Bhabha
described the proposed institute as '...but an embryo..' from which he
hoped to build… 'a school of physics comparable to the best anywhere'.
The progress of the last sixty years detailed in the appendix shows
how TIFR has successfully carried forward this vision. To continue
this process more than half a century later, one has to account for
and build on the radical changes that the scientific enterprise has
undergone. Today, more than ever, the focus is on attracting and
redeploying talent and resources in diverse fields to address rapidly
emerging and evolving interdisciplinary problems, often arising from
real life applications. TIFR is fully aware of the need to adapt to
this scenario while continuing to capitalize on its traditional
strengths namely the ability to choose and tackle questions that cut
across wide areas of science, with an array of methodologies and cross
fertilization. When TIFR Hyderabad reaches a steady state we expect that research
programmes would involve frontier areas which cut across all the major
disciplines of science, mathematics and related areas. But on a
shorter timescale it would be beneficial to have a larger emphasis on
a smaller set of areas, in order to have a degree of coherence, and to
make a significant impact. The listing arrived at is not closed; other
topics whose appropriateness and importance is recognized later will
be taken up as the campus grows. The first stage of TIFR Hyderabad will begin with the establishment of
the TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Science (TCIS). The Centre will
engage primarily in the research and teaching of interdisciplinary
sciences at the frontiers. There will also be a presence of the
well-established disciplines. In very broad terms the research
programmes to be taken up initially in the new campus will involve
Light, Matter and Life, referring to, respectively, Optical Science,
Condensed Matter, Materials and Chemistry, and Life Sciences, and
especially activities at the border of each pair. The TCIS will
reflect activity in each area, and will interconnect and unify the
programmes in all three fields. These points are detailed below. • Light: Optical Science
High power lasers generate ultra-intense fields, whose interaction
with matter results in new regimes of behavior. TIFR is a key player
in this area, with notable results on the generation of giant,
ultrashort magnetic pulses and high brightness X-ray sources. Besides
its intrinsic interest, this kind of high energy-density physics has
an impact on laser fusion, laboratory astrophysics and novel particle
acceleration schemes. It is planned to launch the next phase of high
light-intensity laser physics derived from petawatt, femtosecond laser
pulses in the new campus. This would mark TIFR’s entry into the field
of ‘extreme light’, which involves highly nonperturbative physics at
high intensity and on sub-picosecond timescales. From a broader perspective, all aspects of classical and quantum
optics are undergoing rapid progress worldwide. The study of light, as
also interactions between light and matter in all states – atomic,
molecular, condensed, has seen explosive growth, and the twenty first
century could well belong as much to the photon as the twentieth did
to the electron. Some of the key areas that TIFR can initiate using
optical techniques are related to quantum information processing,
communication, and cryptography, areas which are not just
fundamentally exciting but rich in potential applications.
Establishing a strong group in selected aspects of these areas will be
very fruitful scientifically, and would pay rich dividends in
applications, in a manner similar to TIFR's earlier ventures into
computing, microwave electronics, etc.• Matter: Condensed Matter, Materials and Chemistry
“Soft matter” encompasses a wide range of systems and phenomena, and
the challenge is to unravel the collective nonlinearities which give
rise to complex, interesting, and often completely new, behavior. In
recent years, the subject has seen the coming together of several
traditional disciplines in science and engineering, namely, chemistry,
chemical engineering, physics, mechanical engineering, biology and
biotechnology in forging an exciting area of work. Current efforts at
TIFR involve studying complex phenomena in a range of systems −
colloidal systems, porous media and surfactant systems. The
experimental probes used include micro-rheology as well as several
light-based techniques such as optical tweezers, various forms of
video-microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. It is planned to grow
this area strongly in the new campus, including areas such as granular
media and fluids in constrained and random media, the aim being to
uncover basic physics related to hydrodynamics, both linear and
nonlinear, and statistical mechanics, both in and away from
equilibrium. Often, the science behind familiar phenomena such as
adhesion or lubrication is quite intricate, and unraveling this has
large potential for applications relevant for industry. This will be
explored and exploited.Traditional ‘hard’ (i.e. solid state) condensed matter physics
continues to provide new surprises, as a result of quite subtle
correlations between electrons. Experimental and theoretical studies
of these systems at TIFR have shed light on these correlations, and
are expected to play an important role in the new campus. An example
is state-of-the-art precision electron spectroscopy, which provides a
powerful tool to probe electronic correlations. Another set of
frontiers is envisaged under the general title ‘Matter under extreme
conditions’, which refers to extremes of pressure, temperature, and
magnetic field. Ordinary matter behaves quite extraordinarily under
such extreme conditions and TIFR intends to initiate some of these
studies in the new campus.Many of the advances in condensed matter physics, soft and hard, have
come from the ability to synthesize novel materials, an example being
the borocarbide superconductors. This tradition will be strengthened
in the new campus. Further, TIFR has a chemical sciences group which
grew from the early chemical physics tradition. We now propose, by
contrast, to establish a synthetic and materials chemistry programme
which will be a logical follow up of the strong chemical sciences
activity, but also interface with the active programmes in other areas
such as condensed matter. Activities, ongoing and envisaged, range
from the synthesis of novel inorganic nanomaterials in the form of
thin films, hollow fibers and spheres, to designing new materials for
solar cells or photocatalytic processes, incorporating self-repair
within a designed photocatalyst.• The Life Sciences
With the advent of quantitative tools in biological measurements and
modeling, the nature of the questions that can be asked and answered
has changed; the need for interdisciplinary approaches is nowhere felt
more strongly than in the life sciences. Work performed at TIFR in the
areas of cellular and developmental biology as well as molecular
analyses leading to biological function uses cross disciplinary
techniques and approaches and has made a mark. The introduction of
probes derived from chemistry and physics (many of them based on
light, such as optical tweezers for determining the mechanical
properties of biomolecules, or fluorescence spectroscopy to probe the
dynamics of protein folding) has allowed a quantitative
characterization of the properties of biological molecules. Further,
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of biological molecules,
begun early at TIFR, have recently been used for the determination of
the structure of extremely large molecular selfassemblies. On another
front, the powerful idea that networks of different sorts (for
example, involving protein interactions or traffic or signaling and
regulation) form frameworks that underlie biological complexity
provides a new paradigm in biological modeling.This sort of interdisciplinary approach will continue to be used in
the new programmes to be taken up at TIFR, Hyderabad. These include
human biology, genomics, systems biology and cellular biology (e.g.
cell division). These topics have natural connections with theoretical
studies of population dynamics, networks and pattern formation. From
the soft matter point of view, biological matter is interesting as it
is ‘active’, and the corresponding studies give quantitative
information, useful for biology. The connections of biology with
information processing, mathematics and engineering (e.g.
biomechanics) will also be developed. Applications to medicine will
include the design of novel chemical probes and sensors for imaging
disease markers. In terms of techniques, programmes in the new campus
will benefit from advanced software methodologies and from recent
breakthroughs in analytical imaging. The plan to move and expand the
NMR facility in Hyderabad will surely strongly benefit the effort in
the life sciences. Finally, in addition to the use of light as a probe
of biological systems, ‘life-light’ interactions hold exciting
prospects which will be explored in the new campus. • Theoretical Sciences
Traditionally, TIFR has had very strong groups in theoretical areas –
mathematics, computer and systems sciences and theoretical physics.
This tradition will be continued in the new campus, and wherever
possible interactions with experiments will be planned for and
encouraged. In the broad fields of statistical physics and quantum
physics, there is excellent potential for theory-experiment cross
fertilization in the Life-Matter-Light programme discussed above. New
theoretical areas planned to be initiated in the new campus include
large data sets, probability theory, dynamical systems, and the
mechanics and dynamics of simple and complex fluids. It is planned to
build high performance computing facilities for existing and new
areas, including computational materials science and fluid dynamics.Though TIFR’s strength is fundamental research, most of the areas
discussed above have also become important worldwide because of their
connection with applications, some of which are major concerns of our
times – health, energy and communication. In that sense, the work at
TIFR is expected to have a clear impact on the national scenario, even
as the work in the early days of TIFR did in the area of nuclear
energy. Therefore, policies and structures will be evolved to allow
this kind of cross fertilisation with applied science, engineering and
medicine.4. Education
As an integral part of launching these new programmes, TIFR is
committed to continue to provide opportunities at the highest level to
young scientists in the country, through graduate course work and
doctoral research projects, and postdoctoral experience. We envisage a
strong increase in the number of faculty members, students and
postdoctoral fellows in the areas above. Further, TIFR will strongly
encourage collaborative research with scientists from universities and
other research establishments in the country with common interests and
programmes. Scientific meetings and workshops at the cutting edge of
various fields and across fields, bringing together the best
researchers from within the country and across the world have always
been an important part of TIFR's functioning. Facilities will be built
to strengthen research and collaboration in all the new areas.For identifying and nurturing talent at the high school and college
level, the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education already has
strong, nationally known programmes. A science education programme in
the new campus would add a new dimension to this effort, as science
teachers and students who participate in programmes at TIFR, Hyderabad
would be able to take advantage of the facilities and ambience of the
new campus, and the proximity of vibrant research programmes would
provide a further impetus to participants, some of whom would
eventually become researchers. Thus the unification of teaching and
research would be symbiotic in achieving the goal of each. The
programmes in the new campus would be aimed at identifying, promoting,
and nurturing scientific talent and motivation among young students,
and generating materials, strategies, and programmes for the science
teaching community. One of the targets would be to create a science
and mathematics curriculum suitable for today’s frontiers of science
and technology, an effort in which the involvement of the larger
community of scientists on campus would help greatly. 5. Faculty, Students and Staff
The key factor which will determine the success of the enterprise is
the quality of the faculty. A very high threshold will be maintained
at all times. For some of the interdisciplinary ventures, an effort
will be made to draw in faculty not only from the traditional basic
sciences, but also from the engineering sciences. The right mix of
outstanding researchers from diverse background is likely to yield
rich dividends. As mentioned above, the long term aim is to reach final permanent
faculty strength of around 250 along with approximately five times
that number of students, and twice that number of postdoctoral
researchers. Technical staff members commensurate with the proposed
scientific activities and an efficient administration are also needed.
There would also be a large visiting population of scientists and
students at all times. The research and training programmes are then
expected to lead to 200 high quality Ph.Ds every year. While the
initial efforts towards starting the academic programmes would be
seeded by some of the very active current faculty of the Institute, we
intend to attract and induct new faculty members of a high calibre to
form the bulk of the academic staff at the new campus. The academic structure of the new campus will evolve in time to meet
its growing needs. However, some desirable features can be stated at
the outset. Being part of the TIFR system will facilitate close
academic links and free movement of students when there are programmes
which would benefit from such interaction. Programmes can involve
multiple centres, sharing resources and expertise, and facilitating
the coming together of researchers on joint projects. There should be
no administrative impediments to free exchange of ideas and
collaborations across disciplines. A dynamic grouping of scientists
will be encouraged, and the formation of rigid boundaries that
separate them will be avoided.A thriving graduate school and the emphasis on a large population of
postdoctoral fellows and visitors, with a wide variety of disciplines
on one campus, all add up to a unique opportunity to create a broad
centre of learning which will attract some of the best young people
from all over the world, as well as scholars in a wide range of
disciplines. Every effort will be made to create an academic
atmosphere, physical environment, and support facilities commensurate
with this ambition.6. The Location
After an extensive search, a suitable site for the new TIFR campus was
identified adjacent to the campus of the Central University of
Hyderabad. This consists of three contiguous plots with a total area
of about 209 acres on the periphery of the campus of the University of
Hyderabad. The State Government of Andhra Pradesh has allotted this
land in favour of TIFR.TIFR has a long standing connection with Hyderabad. TIFR’s Balloon
Facility in Hyderabad was established in 1971, but this activity was
carried out even earlier from Osmania University. Today Hyderabad is
one of the fastest growing metros, with rapid improvements in power,
water supply, roads and other infrastructure. The new international
airport has increased connectivity to the rest of the country and the
world, making Hyderabad an attractive location. Further, it is fast
becoming a knowledge hub, driven by the Information Technology
Industry and a large number of academic institutions and academically
oriented hospitals etc. As part of this trend, recently many
institutions such as IIT and BITS have started new campuses in
Hyderabad. Another advantage of the Hyderabad location is that the new
Vishakhapatnam campus of the DAE would be relatively close by.Establishing a new campus of TIFR in Hyderabad is expected to bring in
a large number of benefits. The location would facilitate
collaborative research with the faculty of other research and
educational institutions in the region, which would also have access
to the facilities in the campus by means of joint programmes. New
initiatives and programmes both in research and education are expected
to arise, complementing and enhancing strengths of the two sides.
Research scholars and faculty from universities and research
institutions in the region would be able to participate in various
TIFR-organized courses and national and international seminars,
symposia and workshops on contemporary areas of science. Lectures
given by distinguished scientists passing through the new campus of
TIFR will be of interest and benefit to faculty and students of
academic institutions in the vicinity. One of the great attractions of the proposed location is the close
proximity to the Central University of Hyderabad, which has very good
schools of Chemistry, Physics, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Computer
and Information Science, and a new school of Engineering Science and
Technology. There is clearly great scope for synergy between the new
campus and the University. In particular, the initial thrust on the
Life-Matter-Light theme should find a resonance with research
programmes at the University as well as other academic institutions in
Hyderabad.To sum up, TIFR’s proposed new campus in Hyderabad will provide
opportunities for researchers of the highest calibre to work together
on important problems, drawing strength from as well as adding
strength to science in the country and the world. The academic
atmosphere and facilities, as well as the insistence on high
standards, will attract the best talent as faculty. In turn, they
would attract, nurture, and train a future generation of young
scientists in exciting areas of fundamental research, with possible
applications in areas of contemporary relevance. In this way, the new
campus would contribute to science on the local, national and
international scale. 7. Conclusion
TIFR had the strongest support of the late Prime Minister Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru at every stage of its growth. In 1954, Pandit Nehru
laid the foundation stone for TIFR's Mumbai campus. It was Pandit
Nehru again who inaugurated the new buildings of the campus on 15
January 1962, when he remarked, memorably: "It is in meeting (these
scientists) and finding out what they have been doing, that I have
felt so hopeful, so optimistic about the future of science in India."
The establishment of TIFR Hyderabad is also profoundly in consonance
with Homi Bhabha's and Pandit Nehru's objectives. For TIFR, it is thus
especially appropriate that the foundation stone of this campus should
be laid in the Bhabha Centenary year.
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1. Introduction
The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), founded in 1945, is
an aided institution funded by the Government of India through the
Department of Atomic Energy. Its mission is to carry out world-class
research in all areas of the fundamental sciences. It is committed to
training young researchers and is a Deemed University. The main campus
of TIFR is in Mumbai and it has Centres, Field Stations and Facilities
spread across India.2. History
TIFR was founded by the legendary Indian scientist Dr Homi Jehangir
Bhabha. With support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the
Government of Bombay Presidency, TIFR began to function from rented
premises at Kenilworth, a bungalow on Peddar Road in Bombay. It grew
rapidly in the first few years and soon moved to the much larger Old
Yacht Club premises. In 1954 Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone for
TIFR's permanent campus at Colaba, Mumbai on a beautiful site on the
seashore on land transferred from the Ministry of Defence. Another
site across the road was provided for the Institute's housing. The new
buildings were inaugurated by Prime Minister Nehru in 1962.Initially, the main research areas were Cosmic Rays and High Energy
Physics, Theoretical Physics, and Mathematics. Soon after, the
Institute extended its activities to include fields such as Nuclear
Physics, Nuclear and Electron Magnetism, Solid State (now Condensed
Matter) Physics, Computer Science, Geophysics, and later Molecular
Biology, Radio, Infrared, and X-ray Astronomy, Theoretical
Astrophysics, and Science Education.Soon after founding TIFR, Dr Homi Bhabha launched the nation’s
research and development activity in the area of atomic energy.
Technology for this purpose, including electronics, was initially
developed at TIFR, which is therefore acknowledged as the “cradle” of
India’s atomic energy programme.India's first computer (TIFRAC) was designed and constructed at TIFR.
The contribution of TIFR to the development of advanced technology in
India goes much beyond this to include other emerging fields such as
Accelerators, Microwave Communications, Software Technology,
Semiconductor Technology, Chemical Sciences and Educational Research.
Some of these groups later became the nuclei of dedicated
organizations, such as the National Centre for Software Technology
(NCST), Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL) and the microwave
engineering research laboratory (SAMEER).3. Growth
As TIFR expanded the scope of its activities it also grew
geographically, developing Centres, Field Stations and Research
Facilities in different parts of the country. The four Centres of TlFR
today are: the National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS),
Bangalore; the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics in (NCRA) Pune,
the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Anushaktinagar,
Mumbai, and the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS),
due to come up in Bangalore. In addition, the Centre for Applicable
Mathematics (CAM) is located in Bangalore. Apart from its centres, TIFR also has large facilities and field
stations located across the country: The Cosmic Ray Laboratory, (CRL),
Ooty; the Radio Astronomy Centre (RAC), Ooty, the Gravitation
Laboratory, Gauribidnur, Karnataka, the Giant Metre-wave Radio
Telescope (GMRT), Khodad, Maharashtra, the High Energy Gamma Ray
Observatory, Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh; and the Balloon Facility,
Hyderabad. TIFR runs a Pelletron Accelerator Facility with a
superconducting LINAC Booster and the National Facility for High-Field
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. The Institute plays a leading role in
major national projects such as the ASTROSAT mission of ISRO, with
instruments for X-ray and UV astronomy, and the India Neutrino
Observatory (INO) which is being built for the large-scale underground
detection of neutrinos. TIFR actively participates in large-scale
international projects such as the LHC in CERN, Geneva and the Belle
experiment at KEK, Japan.TIFR has grown significantly during every decade since its founding.
From its original location on 6000 square feet of rented premises at
Kenilworth, it expanded six-fold in its first four years to occupy
35,000 square feet at the Old Yacht Club buildings. By the early
1950’s it started to function from military barracks in Navy Nagar
even before buildings came up on the two 15-acre sites that would
become the location of its permanent campus. Subsequently the
Institute’s Centres started to function from many different locations:
a 5.5-acre site for HBCSE at Mankhurd, Mumbai; a 15-acre site for NCRA
at Pune; a 20-acre site for NCBS at Bangalore, a 4.5-acre site for the
NCBS hostel and CAM, and most recently a 17-acre site for ICTS in
north Bangalore. The Facilities and Field Stations are also spread out
over locations across the country, including a 98-acre site for the
Radio Astronomy Centre (RAC), Ooty, a 40-acre site for the Gravitation
Laboratory, Gauribidnur, Karnataka and a 400-acre site for the Giant
Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT), Khodad, Maharashtra.All these dedicated Centres and Facilities were set up in response to
definite scientific needs. The need in today’s emerging landscape,
however, is to interconnect different strands of scientific activity
in one campus. The new campus at Hyderabad is being established for
this purpose. 4. Training of young researchers
A unique feature of TIFR is that its research programmes have
incorporated the training of Ph.D. students in a central way. The
number of students increased steadily over the years, and towards the
end of the 1960s, a Graduate School, offering a number of courses, was
set up. TIFR students received a Ph.D. degree from Bombay University
until 2002, when TIFR was declared a Deemed University and began to
award its own degrees. The wide breadth of activities of TIFR is
covered by the six subject boards: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry,
Biology, Computer & Systems Sciences and Science Education. The
graduate courses are taught at the Colaba campus and the Centres.TIFR research students at Pune and Bangalore also benefit from
cooperation with neighbouring institutions, such as IUCAA, Pune
University and IISER in Pune and the Indian Institute of Science in
Bangalore. Equally, students from those institutions can attend
lectures in the TIFR graduate school. At present over 450 postgraduate and doctoral students are enrolled in
TIFR’s Deemed University. Students graduating from TIFR are well
trained to take up challenging careers in science (academic as well as
application-oriented) and other fields. Many former TIFR students are
today faculty members at leading universities in India and abroad.
TIFR is proud of this contribution to the nation's pool of highly
skilled researchers. Our desire to enhance this programme even further
is another of the motivations to set up a new campus.
II. TIFR Hyderabad
1. The Vision
In its 2010 report, the Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
states that for India to become a knowledge-based society and a global
leader in scientific research, it is essential to strengthen
scientific infrastructure, make all efforts to draw the brightest
minds to scientific research, and create institutions of the highest
standards of excellence.Today, at a time when India aspires to become a world leader in
science, TIFR truly symbolises the advances that our nation has made
at the frontiers of scientific research. At the threshold of rapid
growth, India has the ability to become a significant creator and user
of scientific knowledge; the realization of this ability is expected
to power a surge of development and economic growth. There is a strong
potential for this to happen, as we are a youthful country with a
strong commitment to support science and its applications.As part of this national effort, TIFR now proposes to expand in a
major way by setting up a new campus. The development of a new campus
at this critical juncture will allow TIFR to keep intact its essential
character, with a wide set of diverse but individually excellent
programs, and a readiness to embark on ambitious new projects as and
when necessary.The new campus at Hyderabad will enable the commencement of new
activities as well as the expansion of existing activities. The vision
for the new campus is based on an integrated view of modern science,
springing from the priorities and aspirations of our nation today.With its tradition of engaging with research at the frontiers,
training researchers at the highest level, and successfully seeding
new initiatives in its different national centres, TIFR is uniquely
poised to contribute to the national effort in a strong and
distinctive way.This backdrop motivates the three main elements of the vision of
TIFR’s new campus:•the unification of traditional disciplines under common themes,
while maintaining the rigour that characterizes individual
disciplines.
•the convergence of fundamental and applied sciences, facilitating
the emergence of new technologies.
•the unification of teaching and research in ways that reinforce and
elevate each other.A large number of young scientists will join this enterprise, thus
providing a valuable resource of trained research leaders for India in
the 21st century. TIFR Hyderabad is expected to eventually have a
strength of 1250 to 1500 doctoral students, several hundred
post-doctoral fellows, and a faculty strength of 250. It will have a
very strong visitors’ programme with a special focus on doctoral
students and researchers from the developing nations. After an extensive search in various locations in the country, TIFR
finally decided to set up its new campus on a site of 209 acres in the
city of Hyderabad. The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued a G.O. on
28 January 2009 allotting this land to TIFR. The site adjoins the
University of Hyderabad, with whom TIFR looks forward to a
long-lasting academic partnership involving mutually beneficial
collaborations. An MOU outlining a plan for academic links between the
two institutions was signed in November 2008 between the University of
Hyderabad and TIFR in the presence of the then CM of Andhra Pradesh.2. The Concept
The new campus will have a thrust centered on basic research in areas
which are as critical to a nation’s progress today as nuclear science
was in the 1950s. The national and international scene is of course
very different in 2010. But, as was the case then, there are areas of
basic science intimately linked to the major concerns of the times
such as, for example, health, energy, and communication. Research
related to these themes is seeing world-wide progress at an ever
increasing rate. The country needs a strong base in these areas to
successfully create knowledge, and contribute to and compete in the
new developments. This venture requires a careful choice of areas and
faculty, and a commitment to attract and train a large number of
talented and motivated research students at an advanced level. The
thrust cannot be in isolation – it must both add value to and draw
strength from educational, research, and development programmes in
other institutions, including but by no means limited to those in the
TIFR system.In the initial years the science at the new centre is intended to
focus on themes carefully chosen within and across Optical Science,
Condensed Matter, Materials and Chemistry, and the Life Sciences, or
in other words, “Light, Matter and Life”. Each of these themes is of
great contemporary importance, and the institute is well placed to
develop them on a significant scale with high impact. Importantly,
these themes have close interconnections with each other. Moreover,
they are closely linked to areas of health, energy and communication
mentioned above. Therefore a strong linkage with potential
applications will be built in from the start.These themes will attract the younger generation of scientists in
India, as they have all over the world. It is envisaged that there
would be a large number of graduate students, postdoctoral
researchers, and visitors. This will enhance many-fold the
contribution that TIFR already makes to the pool of highly skilled
scientific manpower in the country, in areas of national needs in the
years to come. Moreover, it is proposed to launch a vigorous programme
in science education, drawing on our successful experience with the
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education. In particular, the proximity
of vibrant research programmes on campus would provide an ideal
setting for participating students and teachers. The campus of TIFR Hyderabad adjoins that of the University of
Hyderabad, one of India's highest rated Central Universities. This
proximity is bound to generate synergy in research and in conducting
advanced academic programmes, such as workshops, conferences, and
courses. The desire for close academic contact has led to the signing
of an MoU between the two institutions. Many other academic
institutions in Hyderabad also have interests overlapping with the
proposed themes and fruitful interactions will be encouraged. The campus will have its academic areas interspersed with open green
areas. A phased plan for growth is a key feature of space utilization.
While the exact pattern of growth over many decades cannot be
precisely foreseen, we will allow for such developments in the master
plan in such a way as to facilitate contiguous expansion of related
areas in the future.In brief, the proposed campus will pursue fundamental knowledge in
critical areas, identify, attract, and nurture talent to generate a
strong force of young scientists equipped to face the challenges of
the twenty first century, and open its doors to work jointly with
like-minded individuals and institutions.The academic faculty of TIFR Hyderabad is envisaged to reach about 250
eventually. In the initial stages the campus will see the initiation
of activities largely in the theme areas concerned with Light, Matter
and Life. Small groups in chemistry, biology, lasers and optics,
magnetic resonance, condensed matter and soft matter are ready to
initiate this stage which is planned around a total strength of about
15-20 faculty members including both current TIFR staff moving to
Hyderabad and new recruits in this period.This nucleus will be well supported from existing TIFR campuses, but
will, from the outset, evolve structures and strategies suited to the
new campus, keeping in mind the overall vision outlined above. In
terms of infrastructure, a well-equipped single inter-disciplinary
laboratory building is planned, tentatively to be called the “TIFR
Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences”, which will help get the
scientific programmes off to a good start. All scientists and
students, from all disciplines, will share this building and
facilities. Teaching and the training of research students will form a
core activity right from the start.Subsequently the intention is to consolidate and grow the above themes
with the establishment of vigorous groups with a thrust within and
across fields, and to expand the graduate student teaching and
research programmes strongly. A few new emerging areas may also be
initiated as and when their appropriateness and importance comes to be
realised. Some new academic buildings (for instance, the new NMR
centre) would come up in a planned manner, along with housing for
faculty and staff, and hostels for students.From our experience with TIFR Mumbai, we expect that in TIFR Hyderabad
too there will eventually be a diversification of themes and an
approach to a steady state in which there is a broad coverage of
topics from all the sciences, mathematics and related areas. This
steady state will be a dynamic one, with the choice of topics dictated
by new frontiers emerging and older frontiers receding. Totally new
directions, which cannot be envisaged today, are bound to emerge and
will be initiated. The number of faculty is projected to grow to
around 250, with twice the number of postdoctoral fellows, five to six
times the number of students and an appropriate number of technical
support staff. 3. The Science
In his original proposal to the Sir Dorab Tata Trust, Homi Bhabha
described the proposed institute as '...but an embryo..' from which he
hoped to build… 'a school of physics comparable to the best anywhere'.
The progress of the last sixty years detailed in the appendix shows
how TIFR has successfully carried forward this vision. To continue
this process more than half a century later, one has to account for
and build on the radical changes that the scientific enterprise has
undergone. Today, more than ever, the focus is on attracting and
redeploying talent and resources in diverse fields to address rapidly
emerging and evolving interdisciplinary problems, often arising from
real life applications. TIFR is fully aware of the need to adapt to
this scenario while continuing to capitalize on its traditional
strengths namely the ability to choose and tackle questions that cut
across wide areas of science, with an array of methodologies and cross
fertilization. When TIFR Hyderabad reaches a steady state we expect that research
programmes would involve frontier areas which cut across all the major
disciplines of science, mathematics and related areas. But on a
shorter timescale it would be beneficial to have a larger emphasis on
a smaller set of areas, in order to have a degree of coherence, and to
make a significant impact. The listing arrived at is not closed; other
topics whose appropriateness and importance is recognized later will
be taken up as the campus grows. The first stage of TIFR Hyderabad will begin with the establishment of
the TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Science (TCIS). The Centre will
engage primarily in the research and teaching of interdisciplinary
sciences at the frontiers. There will also be a presence of the
well-established disciplines. In very broad terms the research
programmes to be taken up initially in the new campus will involve
Light, Matter and Life, referring to, respectively, Optical Science,
Condensed Matter, Materials and Chemistry, and Life Sciences, and
especially activities at the border of each pair. The TCIS will
reflect activity in each area, and will interconnect and unify the
programmes in all three fields. These points are detailed below. • Light: Optical Science
High power lasers generate ultra-intense fields, whose interaction
with matter results in new regimes of behavior. TIFR is a key player
in this area, with notable results on the generation of giant,
ultrashort magnetic pulses and high brightness X-ray sources. Besides
its intrinsic interest, this kind of high energy-density physics has
an impact on laser fusion, laboratory astrophysics and novel particle
acceleration schemes. It is planned to launch the next phase of high
light-intensity laser physics derived from petawatt, femtosecond laser
pulses in the new campus. This would mark TIFR’s entry into the field
of ‘extreme light’, which involves highly nonperturbative physics at
high intensity and on sub-picosecond timescales. From a broader perspective, all aspects of classical and quantum
optics are undergoing rapid progress worldwide. The study of light, as
also interactions between light and matter in all states – atomic,
molecular, condensed, has seen explosive growth, and the twenty first
century could well belong as much to the photon as the twentieth did
to the electron. Some of the key areas that TIFR can initiate using
optical techniques are related to quantum information processing,
communication, and cryptography, areas which are not just
fundamentally exciting but rich in potential applications.
Establishing a strong group in selected aspects of these areas will be
very fruitful scientifically, and would pay rich dividends in
applications, in a manner similar to TIFR's earlier ventures into
computing, microwave electronics, etc.• Matter: Condensed Matter, Materials and Chemistry
“Soft matter” encompasses a wide range of systems and phenomena, and
the challenge is to unravel the collective nonlinearities which give
rise to complex, interesting, and often completely new, behavior. In
recent years, the subject has seen the coming together of several
traditional disciplines in science and engineering, namely, chemistry,
chemical engineering, physics, mechanical engineering, biology and
biotechnology in forging an exciting area of work. Current efforts at
TIFR involve studying complex phenomena in a range of systems −
colloidal systems, porous media and surfactant systems. The
experimental probes used include micro-rheology as well as several
light-based techniques such as optical tweezers, various forms of
video-microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. It is planned to grow
this area strongly in the new campus, including areas such as granular
media and fluids in constrained and random media, the aim being to
uncover basic physics related to hydrodynamics, both linear and
nonlinear, and statistical mechanics, both in and away from
equilibrium. Often, the science behind familiar phenomena such as
adhesion or lubrication is quite intricate, and unraveling this has
large potential for applications relevant for industry. This will be
explored and exploited.Traditional ‘hard’ (i.e. solid state) condensed matter physics
continues to provide new surprises, as a result of quite subtle
correlations between electrons. Experimental and theoretical studies
of these systems at TIFR have shed light on these correlations, and
are expected to play an important role in the new campus. An example
is state-of-the-art precision electron spectroscopy, which provides a
powerful tool to probe electronic correlations. Another set of
frontiers is envisaged under the general title ‘Matter under extreme
conditions’, which refers to extremes of pressure, temperature, and
magnetic field. Ordinary matter behaves quite extraordinarily under
such extreme conditions and TIFR intends to initiate some of these
studies in the new campus.Many of the advances in condensed matter physics, soft and hard, have
come from the ability to synthesize novel materials, an example being
the borocarbide superconductors. This tradition will be strengthened
in the new campus. Further, TIFR has a chemical sciences group which
grew from the early chemical physics tradition. We now propose, by
contrast, to establish a synthetic and materials chemistry programme
which will be a logical follow up of the strong chemical sciences
activity, but also interface with the active programmes in other areas
such as condensed matter. Activities, ongoing and envisaged, range
from the synthesis of novel inorganic nanomaterials in the form of
thin films, hollow fibers and spheres, to designing new materials for
solar cells or photocatalytic processes, incorporating self-repair
within a designed photocatalyst.• The Life Sciences
With the advent of quantitative tools in biological measurements and
modeling, the nature of the questions that can be asked and answered
has changed; the need for interdisciplinary approaches is nowhere felt
more strongly than in the life sciences. Work performed at TIFR in the
areas of cellular and developmental biology as well as molecular
analyses leading to biological function uses cross disciplinary
techniques and approaches and has made a mark. The introduction of
probes derived from chemistry and physics (many of them based on
light, such as optical tweezers for determining the mechanical
properties of biomolecules, or fluorescence spectroscopy to probe the
dynamics of protein folding) has allowed a quantitative
characterization of the properties of biological molecules. Further,
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of biological molecules,
begun early at TIFR, have recently been used for the determination of
the structure of extremely large molecular selfassemblies. On another
front, the powerful idea that networks of different sorts (for
example, involving protein interactions or traffic or signaling and
regulation) form frameworks that underlie biological complexity
provides a new paradigm in biological modeling.This sort of interdisciplinary approach will continue to be used in
the new programmes to be taken up at TIFR, Hyderabad. These include
human biology, genomics, systems biology and cellular biology (e.g.
cell division). These topics have natural connections with theoretical
studies of population dynamics, networks and pattern formation. From
the soft matter point of view, biological matter is interesting as it
is ‘active’, and the corresponding studies give quantitative
information, useful for biology. The connections of biology with
information processing, mathematics and engineering (e.g.
biomechanics) will also be developed. Applications to medicine will
include the design of novel chemical probes and sensors for imaging
disease markers. In terms of techniques, programmes in the new campus
will benefit from advanced software methodologies and from recent
breakthroughs in analytical imaging. The plan to move and expand the
NMR facility in Hyderabad will surely strongly benefit the effort in
the life sciences. Finally, in addition to the use of light as a probe
of biological systems, ‘life-light’ interactions hold exciting
prospects which will be explored in the new campus. • Theoretical Sciences
Traditionally, TIFR has had very strong groups in theoretical areas –
mathematics, computer and systems sciences and theoretical physics.
This tradition will be continued in the new campus, and wherever
possible interactions with experiments will be planned for and
encouraged. In the broad fields of statistical physics and quantum
physics, there is excellent potential for theory-experiment cross
fertilization in the Life-Matter-Light programme discussed above. New
theoretical areas planned to be initiated in the new campus include
large data sets, probability theory, dynamical systems, and the
mechanics and dynamics of simple and complex fluids. It is planned to
build high performance computing facilities for existing and new
areas, including computational materials science and fluid dynamics.Though TIFR’s strength is fundamental research, most of the areas
discussed above have also become important worldwide because of their
connection with applications, some of which are major concerns of our
times – health, energy and communication. In that sense, the work at
TIFR is expected to have a clear impact on the national scenario, even
as the work in the early days of TIFR did in the area of nuclear
energy. Therefore, policies and structures will be evolved to allow
this kind of cross fertilisation with applied science, engineering and
medicine.4. Education
As an integral part of launching these new programmes, TIFR is
committed to continue to provide opportunities at the highest level to
young scientists in the country, through graduate course work and
doctoral research projects, and postdoctoral experience. We envisage a
strong increase in the number of faculty members, students and
postdoctoral fellows in the areas above. Further, TIFR will strongly
encourage collaborative research with scientists from universities and
other research establishments in the country with common interests and
programmes. Scientific meetings and workshops at the cutting edge of
various fields and across fields, bringing together the best
researchers from within the country and across the world have always
been an important part of TIFR's functioning. Facilities will be built
to strengthen research and collaboration in all the new areas.For identifying and nurturing talent at the high school and college
level, the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education already has
strong, nationally known programmes. A science education programme in
the new campus would add a new dimension to this effort, as science
teachers and students who participate in programmes at TIFR, Hyderabad
would be able to take advantage of the facilities and ambience of the
new campus, and the proximity of vibrant research programmes would
provide a further impetus to participants, some of whom would
eventually become researchers. Thus the unification of teaching and
research would be symbiotic in achieving the goal of each. The
programmes in the new campus would be aimed at identifying, promoting,
and nurturing scientific talent and motivation among young students,
and generating materials, strategies, and programmes for the science
teaching community. One of the targets would be to create a science
and mathematics curriculum suitable for today’s frontiers of science
and technology, an effort in which the involvement of the larger
community of scientists on campus would help greatly. 5. Faculty, Students and Staff
The key factor which will determine the success of the enterprise is
the quality of the faculty. A very high threshold will be maintained
at all times. For some of the interdisciplinary ventures, an effort
will be made to draw in faculty not only from the traditional basic
sciences, but also from the engineering sciences. The right mix of
outstanding researchers from diverse background is likely to yield
rich dividends. As mentioned above, the long term aim is to reach final permanent
faculty strength of around 250 along with approximately five times
that number of students, and twice that number of postdoctoral
researchers. Technical staff members commensurate with the proposed
scientific activities and an efficient administration are also needed.
There would also be a large visiting population of scientists and
students at all times. The research and training programmes are then
expected to lead to 200 high quality Ph.Ds every year. While the
initial efforts towards starting the academic programmes would be
seeded by some of the very active current faculty of the Institute, we
intend to attract and induct new faculty members of a high calibre to
form the bulk of the academic staff at the new campus. The academic structure of the new campus will evolve in time to meet
its growing needs. However, some desirable features can be stated at
the outset. Being part of the TIFR system will facilitate close
academic links and free movement of students when there are programmes
which would benefit from such interaction. Programmes can involve
multiple centres, sharing resources and expertise, and facilitating
the coming together of researchers on joint projects. There should be
no administrative impediments to free exchange of ideas and
collaborations across disciplines. A dynamic grouping of scientists
will be encouraged, and the formation of rigid boundaries that
separate them will be avoided.A thriving graduate school and the emphasis on a large population of
postdoctoral fellows and visitors, with a wide variety of disciplines
on one campus, all add up to a unique opportunity to create a broad
centre of learning which will attract some of the best young people
from all over the world, as well as scholars in a wide range of
disciplines. Every effort will be made to create an academic
atmosphere, physical environment, and support facilities commensurate
with this ambition.6. The Location
After an extensive search, a suitable site for the new TIFR campus was
identified adjacent to the campus of the Central University of
Hyderabad. This consists of three contiguous plots with a total area
of about 209 acres on the periphery of the campus of the University of
Hyderabad. The State Government of Andhra Pradesh has allotted this
land in favour of TIFR.TIFR has a long standing connection with Hyderabad. TIFR’s Balloon
Facility in Hyderabad was established in 1971, but this activity was
carried out even earlier from Osmania University. Today Hyderabad is
one of the fastest growing metros, with rapid improvements in power,
water supply, roads and other infrastructure. The new international
airport has increased connectivity to the rest of the country and the
world, making Hyderabad an attractive location. Further, it is fast
becoming a knowledge hub, driven by the Information Technology
Industry and a large number of academic institutions and academically
oriented hospitals etc. As part of this trend, recently many
institutions such as IIT and BITS have started new campuses in
Hyderabad. Another advantage of the Hyderabad location is that the new
Vishakhapatnam campus of the DAE would be relatively close by.Establishing a new campus of TIFR in Hyderabad is expected to bring in
a large number of benefits. The location would facilitate
collaborative research with the faculty of other research and
educational institutions in the region, which would also have access
to the facilities in the campus by means of joint programmes. New
initiatives and programmes both in research and education are expected
to arise, complementing and enhancing strengths of the two sides.
Research scholars and faculty from universities and research
institutions in the region would be able to participate in various
TIFR-organized courses and national and international seminars,
symposia and workshops on contemporary areas of science. Lectures
given by distinguished scientists passing through the new campus of
TIFR will be of interest and benefit to faculty and students of
academic institutions in the vicinity. One of the great attractions of the proposed location is the close
proximity to the Central University of Hyderabad, which has very good
schools of Chemistry, Physics, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Computer
and Information Science, and a new school of Engineering Science and
Technology. There is clearly great scope for synergy between the new
campus and the University. In particular, the initial thrust on the
Life-Matter-Light theme should find a resonance with research
programmes at the University as well as other academic institutions in
Hyderabad.To sum up, TIFR’s proposed new campus in Hyderabad will provide
opportunities for researchers of the highest calibre to work together
on important problems, drawing strength from as well as adding
strength to science in the country and the world. The academic
atmosphere and facilities, as well as the insistence on high
standards, will attract the best talent as faculty. In turn, they
would attract, nurture, and train a future generation of young
scientists in exciting areas of fundamental research, with possible
applications in areas of contemporary relevance. In this way, the new
campus would contribute to science on the local, national and
international scale. 7. Conclusion
TIFR had the strongest support of the late Prime Minister Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru at every stage of its growth. In 1954, Pandit Nehru
laid the foundation stone for TIFR's Mumbai campus. It was Pandit
Nehru again who inaugurated the new buildings of the campus on 15
January 1962, when he remarked, memorably: "It is in meeting (these
scientists) and finding out what they have been doing, that I have
felt so hopeful, so optimistic about the future of science in India."
The establishment of TIFR Hyderabad is also profoundly in consonance
with Homi Bhabha's and Pandit Nehru's objectives. For TIFR, it is thus
especially appropriate that the foundation stone of this campus should
be laid in the Bhabha Centenary year.
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Monday, October 18, 2010
Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage
" Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewelry. " Rita Rudner
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Untitled
"You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals." George Patton 
Go India
GLOBALS is one of those fast-growing Indian IT companies that Westerners simultaneously admire and fear. Founded in 2000, it already has offices in 11 countries and customers around the world. The chairman and chief executive, Suhas Gopinath, is just 24 years old. Most of his employees are also in their mid-twenties. Mr Gopinath is an illustration of a striking business revolution. Emerging-world businesses have traditionally been obsessed with seniority. Ambitious youngsters in countries like India have been equally obsessed with job security. Well-paying jobs, preferably with multinational firms, are the key to success in the marriage market. But this is changing rapidly. Nandan Nilekani, one of the founders of Infosys, reports that he now comes across mould-breaking young leaders wherever he goes in India. They are even to be found in big companies such as ICICI, a leading bank, Hindustan Unilever, a consumer-goods giant, and Comat Technologies, which provides information to rural Indians. Vivek Wadhwa, an American academic who studies entrepreneurship, says he is inundated with requests for meetings whenever he visits the emerging world. He met 125 fledgling entrepreneurs during a recent trip to New Delhi and will talk to as many as he can manage in Beijing soon. The rise of young entrepreneurs is extending the meaning of the demographic dividend. Demographers have often noted that most of the emerging world will stay young while the rich world ages. In 2020 the median age in India will be 28, compared with 38 in America, 45 in western Europe and 49 in Japan. But the dividend will be paid not just in the form of more favourable dependency ratios but also in a more entrepreneurial business culture. Young people are innately more inclined to overthrow the existing order than are their elders. This predisposition is being reinforced by two big changes in the emerging world. The first is the information-technology revolution. The Boston Consulting Group calculates that there are already about 610m internet users in the BRICI countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and Indonesia). BCG predicts that this number will nearly double by 2015. And in one respect many consumers in emerging markets are leapfrogging over their Western peers. They are much more likely to access the internet via mobile devices (which are ubiquitous in the emerging world) rather than PCs. That gives local entrepreneurs an advantage, says Rob Salkowitz, the author of “Young World Rising”. Whereas Western companies are hampered by legacy systems and legacy mindsets, they can build their companies around the coming technology. more at economist
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within himself
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within himself.~Galileo 
Friday, October 15, 2010
India at CWG first time in 1934 just 1 medal to 101 medals this time
India celebrates its success in CWG; Medal Winners meet PM
India is in a celebration mood with its sports men and women bringing laurels to the country in the just concluded Common Wealth Games in Delhi.
The country has come a long way from winning just one bronze medal in
1934 to 101 medals this time. This includes 38 gold, 27 silver and 36
bronze at the Games giving second position in the medal tally.
The performance is more than double than the earlier Games in Melbour
4 years ago.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today met the Indian medal winners in the Commonwealth Games. Sports Minister M S Gill was present.
India had won a record 101 medals, including 38 gold to finish second
in the Commonwealth Games.
Defence Ministry today rewarded armed forces sportsmen by giving away
12 lakh rupees each for winner of a gold medal, Seven lakh each for
silver medal and five lakh for those who brought in a bronze medal during the Delhi ommonwealth games.
Giving away the cheques to the medalist in a ceremony in New Delhi today, Defence Minister Mr. A.K.Antony also announced out of turn promotion for the each medal winner.
AIR correspondent reports that the armed forces brought laurels to the
country by bagging 10 Gold, 7 Silver and 8 Bronze out of 101 total
medals won by the Indian participants in the 19th edition of commonwealth games. Congratulating the winners, the Defence Minister expressed hope that Defence forces athletes would better their record in 5th Military World Games to be held in Brazil next year.
Mr. Antony said this will be an ideal preparation for 2012 London
Olympics. The Ministry of Defence has already allocated 50 crore rupees for Mission Olympics.
Several states and Railways have already announced awards to medal
winners of their teams.
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