Showing posts with label institute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label institute. Show all posts

13 September 2008

Dr Abdul Kalam: NTU Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering


Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, President of India, 2002-2007 receives the Degree of Doctor of Engineering (Honoris Causa) from President of the Republic of Singapore and Chancellor of NTU, Mr S R Nathan, in an award ceremony held on 26 August 2008 at the Nanyang Auditorium. The honorary degree is conferred in recognition of Dr Kalam’s life-long achievements in the service of India, his international reputation in science and technology and his contributions to the improvement of India-Singapore relations.

Among the guests at the ceremony are Senior Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr S Balaji.

The conferment of an honorary doctorate on Dr Kalam is a major boost to the growing academic partnership between Singapore and India, and will enhance the level of engagement between institutions in the two countries.

Distinguished contributions in technology for the betterment of India:

Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, earned his Aeronautical Engineering degree from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1957 and contributed to the development of India’s first satellite launch. As the Chief Executive of the Defence Research and Development Organisation of India, Dr Kalam was in charge of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Project.

Dr Kalam served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from 1999 to 2001 and was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet and piloted the India Millennium Mission 2020.

As the President of India in 2002, he continued to promote the application of technology in solving human and societal problems. After completing his term as President in of India in 2007, Dr Kalam continued to advance the application of science and technology in India, particulary among its young citizens. Popularly known as the “Missile Man of India” for his works, Dr Kalam is widely acknowledged as a progressive mentor, innovator and visionary in India.


Promoting the convergence of technologies in NTU:

During his visit to NTU in 2006, Dr Kalam, then President of India, was particularly impressed with the convergence of key technologies like nano, bio and information technologies in the University. He was confident that a major collaboration between Singapore and India would greatly benefit humankind. Since then, NTU has benefited from the close working relationship with the Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore) in nano-technology.

For more details on NTU’s India initiatives, please refer to the fact sheet.


About Honorary Degrees:

The Doctor of Engineering degree is one of the four honorary degrees conferred by NTU. The other honorary degrees are Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Science and Doctor of Letters. Honorary degrees are awarded to distinguished individuals who have achieved pre-eminence in their field of profession, or who have made significant contributions to their country, the society or in international relations. Honorary degrees are also conferred on individuals who have made important contributions to the University. Honourees affirm and dignify the University’s achievements and standing.

To Know more about Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam [click here]





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09 August 2008

Country's eighth IIT opens in Patna

It was like a dream come true for Bihar as the country’s eighth Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) got off to a flying start at Patna on Wednesday. Classes commenced on Thursday.

Till the institute is registered as a society and subsequently IIT-Patna gets its formal name by a parliamentary ratification, the Patna institute will function as an extension centre of IIT-Guwahati.

The institute’s three-floor building on the Patliputra Government Polytechnic campus, was humming with activities as admission seekers accompanied by their guardians queued up to fill registration forms soon after an orientation workshop at which IIT-Guwahati’s dean (Admn) Prof A Srinivasan delivered the welcome address.

The workshop was also addressed by IIT-Patna’s dean Prof Samarendra Dandpat and IIT-Guwahati director Gautam Barua. The vote of thanks was proposed by Prof MGP Prasad.

While Prof Srinivasan spoke about the new institute, Prof Dandpat discussed the curriculum which would be the same as the one being followed in other IITs.

Altogether 108 students, including six girls, belonging to different parts of the country have taken admission to the Patna IIT which has started with three formal trades __ electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer sciences.

Said Palak Agrawal, a student of computer sciences, “I hadn’t imagined, not even in the wildest of my dreams, that my hometown will get an IIT and I will be a proud student of this institute.” Palak is an alumna of city’s Notre Dame Academy, and her parents Ajay Gupta and Nikita Gupta were happy that their daughter would realise her dream of studying at IIT without going away from home.

IIT-Guwahati’s faculty member Prof R Sharma, who is here to teach the students during the first semester, told TOI the infrastructure, though sufficient for first year students, is temporary. “The fully-fledged campus is coming up at Amhara near Bihta, 25 km away,” he said.

That Anushmita Kaushik of Hisar and Vandana of Hyderabad would have to live in Bihar to pursue their studies has not marred their pleasure of getting into IIT. “All our apprehensions about the state vanished the moment we landed here,” said Kaushik. Vandana nodded.

Kirti Chaudhary of Lucknow was all praise for the new institute. “There’s a separate hostel for girls, which is quite cosy and comfortable,” she said and added she is happy with other arrangements as well. “And there’s no fear of ragging here,” Kirti cooed, pointing out the institute being new, there are no seniors to rag them.

The State Bank of India and the Canara Bank put up stalls on the premises, offering educational loans. Said SBI AGM Satish Kumar Singh, “Though few students approached us for loans, many opened accounts.”




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08 August 2008

NIFT at Patna @ Rs.586 million

Bihar government has approved the allocation of Rs.586 million for the setting up of a branch of the prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) at Patna.


The state cabinet agreed to provide financial support for the establishment of the institute, cabinet secretary Girish Shankar said.
"The amount will be spent on the NIFT's infrastructure, including building and equipment. Of the total amount approved, Rs.270 million will be spent in the current financial year".

In May this year, the cabinet had approved free-of-cost transfer of 10 acres of land from the agriculture department to the industries department for establishment of the NIFT branch, which will be the ninth in the country.

NIFT has branches in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Rai Bareilly.

Sources said classes at NIFT will begin this academic session. It will initially have a small batch of students and function from a temporary building, which is being renovated.

"Till the time its own building comes up, the NIFT will temporarily function from the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority building".
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