Annual Report 1999-2000

Professional Bodies

Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore

The activities of the Academy could be divided into the following:

• Publications
• Annual Meetings
• Discussion Meetings
• Science Education
• Recognition of scientists.

A brief report on each of these is given below:

Publications: The Academy continued to publish its eleven journals in various disciplines. Each of these is published in varying frequencies. The total number of issues published during the year was 85 aggregating to nearly 10000 printed pages. Several special issues were brought out on specific themes such as collagen, mathematical modelling and simulation, chance as necessity, liquid crystals, rare nuclear processes, cosmology, stationary phase mutations in micro-organisms etc.

Of the eleven journals, full text of three journals are now freely available on the internet while the contents pages of the remaining eight journals are also available online.

Annual Meetings: Two scientific meetings were held, one in July 1999 in Bangalore and the other in October 1999 in Lucknow. The meeting in July consisted of two special lectures on plant biotechnology and magneto-optic piston effect, a public lecture on gene technology and thirteen semi-popular presentations on various subjects. The three-day Lucknow meeting held at the Central Drug Research Institute contained popular lectures on such topics as India's policy on intellectual property, quantum Zeno effect, quantum Hall effect, clouds, Avadh culture and its impact on society, and free radical production in haemoglobin. There were a series of technical presentations by eleven new scientists elected into the Academy. Two half-day micro-symposia were also organised in Lucknow on drug design and an Indian case for going to the Moon. Nearly 300 participants attended most of the sessions.

Discussion Meetings : Four meetings each of four-day duration were held on the important topics such as scattering studies in condensed matter physics, computational electromagnetics, high-energy astrophysics, and statistical methodologies in information sciences.

Science Education: As part of its initiative to improve the quality of science education in the country, several programmes were undertaken by the Academy. Fifty-nine students and teachers were provided facilities to work with distinguished scientists of the country on short-term projects for a period not exceeding two months during their summer vacations. Forty-seven bright and motivated teachers were invited to the meetings of the Academy to involve them in our programmes. A two-week refresher course in mathematics mainly intended for teachers from all over the country to improve their teaching methods, was organised in Chandigarh in December 1999. A series of three lecture courses, each of three-day duration, two in mathematics and one in chemistry was held for the benefit of students and teachers in several colleges in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Delhi.

Recognition of Scientists : The Academy makes special efforts to recognise talent among scientists at a comparatively young age by offering them fellowships and associateships so as to act as an incentive in their scientific pursuits. Twenty-eight new fellows and eight new associates were recognised during the year. Also, an Honorary Fellow from abroad was elected. Indian National Academy of Engineering, New Delhi

INAE elected to the World Body of Engineering Academies

The Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) has been elected as a Member-Academy to the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS),USA at its Governing Board Meeting held at Sophia Antipolis, France on May 28, 1999.

The Fellowship

INAE, as on 1 January 2000, has 347 Indian Fellows and 14 Foreign Fellows on its rolls.

Research Projects

Atomic Energy

The Department of Atomic Energy has sanctioned a project to undertake a study on Atomic Energy in India. Several meetings were held by the Study Group, which also visited various nuclear energy establishments. The recommendations in four chapters comprising of Role of nuclear energy in electricity generation requirements for the country; Review of nuclear power programmes in some of the Asian countries; Current status of nuclear power development and future directions that need to be pursued; Role played by DAE in other applications of nuclear energy as well as S&T scene in the country; Self-reliance of indigenous R&D, vis-a-vis, investments made are in the draft stage and are expected to be completed shortly.

Archives of Indian Engineering Heritage

• Indian Railways

The Study Group held several meetings with Zonal Railways, Additional Member (Signaling), Member (Engineering), Member (Electrical) and Member (Mechanical) of the Railway Board to collect material. Technical papers on signaling on two projects and special paper on track technology are expected. Railway electrification and DC/AC conversion are in the draft stage.

• Metallurgy
  

The Study Group on Metallurgy has prepared a preliminary report, which has been compiled on CD-ROM.

Civil Engineering

Prof. Ashalatha Thampuran of the Study Group has been entrusted to draft a report on Architectural Guide to traditional buildings in Tiruvananthapuram.

Pilot Study

The Academy conducted a Pilot Study sanctioned by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) on Innovation Potential of Students Projects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The awards for best Innovative Projects at Doctoral and Master’s levels were conferred by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on "Technology Day", the 11th May 1999. In addition, ten student projects have been selected for conferment of awards at undergraduate level.

Distinguished Visiting Professorship Programme

The Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) with All India Council for Technical Education has, launched a joint Programme of "Distinguished Visiting Professorship". It is aimed at promotion of Industry-Institute interaction by facilitating dissemination of knowledge and expertise of experienced and knowledgeable persons from Industry to integrate industrial experience with technical education. The Distinguished Visiting Professors are expected to describe aspects of "real engineering" to the students and assist the faculties to tailor their courses to the needs of the industry.

The Distinguished Visiting Professors will be eminent scholars/experts in their field of work in industry and deliver lectures on the state of the art of industry, industrial ambiance and problems relating to students and faculty of technical institutions; to guide students projects/thesis pertaining to industrial problems; to help the curriculum development keeping in view the changing industrial needs; and to develop cooperative undergraduate and postgraduate programmes with industry having potential benefit to faculty, students and industry.

A Steering Committee of the Council has been constituted to identify eminent persons for appointment as Distinguished Visiting Professors.

INAE Forum on Engineering Education

One of the key issues in which many countries have expressed serious concern is the present status of Engineering Education at all levels. The Governing Council of the Academy has instituted an INAE Forum on Engineering Education. The Forum will cover several activities of the Academy to promote engineering education and allied initiative. The broad scope of the activities will be to :

• promote excellence in Engineering Education by way of awards and prizes for students,Research Scholars, Faculty, and Industry and R&D Professionals for contributions leading to excellence.
  
• expose students to engineering challenges in Indian industries and technology scene.
  
• redefine goals of Engineering Education, with special reference to the national needs, particularly in the light of current scenario dominated by market economy, WTO, sanctions etc.
  
• forecast Technology trends and needs of next Millennium
  
• determine manpower requirements for advanced Technology Development, R&D etc, through a Survey of Industry and other user Agency requirements.
  
• sharing of best practices; with the creation of database and dissemination of information.
  
• promote Industry-Institute interaction and accreditation and quality issues
  
• publish frequent and regular Newsletters
  

Prof. P Rama Rao, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad gave a presentation on
"Reshaping Postgraduate Education and Research in Engineering Technology" Report prepared for All India Council for Technical Education.

Engineering Excellence Awards

Life Time Contribution Award in Engineering 1999

Life Time Contribution Award in Engineering has been conferred on Prof.(Dr.) Arcot Ramachandran, Formerly Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, United Nations (Habitat), Former Secretary, Department of Science & Technology and Dr. HN Sethna, Director, Tata Electric Companies, Formerly Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Principle Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy. The award consists of a Scroll and a silver plaque.

INAE Young Engineer Award 1999

The Academy has conferred Young Engineer Award 1999 to nine persons for excellence in design and technology transfer, innovative development and engineering research.

Engineering Programmes

The Academy conducted two major engineering programmes, viz., a National Seminar on "Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) Science & Technology for Quality Improvement" from October 22-24, 1999 at National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore and an international Seminar on ‘Manufacturing Technology Beyond 2000" from November 17-19, 1999 at Bangalore. The Academy during the year has brought out Proceedings for the above Seminars. Policy Document on "Energy Sector" is under finalisation.

INAE Website

The Academy launched its Internet Website www.inae.org which contains a vast amount of information on the Academy, its programmes and activities and also provide a search engine for speedy access of various documents.