No. 39 March 2004
Newsletter of the Indian Academy of Sciences
Guwahati Annual Meeting
The Academy held its 2003 annual meeting in Guwahati from 21 to 23 November at the invitation of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. This was the first time in sixty-nine years that the annual meeting was held in the north-east of the country. All the scientific sessions except a public lecture were held at Inside... the just-completed Senate Hall of IIT. Gautam Barua’s brief welcome address was followed by the traditional introduction of Fellows and Associates, a hundred of whom were present at Guwahati. K Kasturirangan, in his presidential address 2004 Elections on “Precision positioning: science and applications” talked about technologies New Fellows ...... 4 Honorary Fellows ...... 6 Council for the triennium 2004–06 ...... 6
Associates – 2003 ...... 6
Raman Professor ...... 7
Special issues of Journals ...... 7 behind satellite-based navigation systems and about their use in scientific studies, military and civilian applications such as for land, remote sensing, geo- Public Lectures ...... 8 mapping, and in any application where the precise position in real time is to be determined. Discussion Meeting ...... 10 The remaining programme of the three days was taken up by two symposia, two public lectures, two special lectures and 30-min presentations by eight new Refresher Courses...... 10 Fellows and Associates. The first symposium was on nanomaterials and nanoscience, a truly interdisciplinary area encompassing physics, chemistry, biology, materials science and engineering. There has been tremendous interest Lecture Series ...... 14 in this field in the last decade not only from the fundamental scientific point of view but also from possible technological applications in many areas. Significant progress has been made in recent years in developing new methods of synthesis Obituaries ...... 16 of nanomaterials as well as new tools for characterization and manipulation. New understanding of size-dependent electrical, optical and magnetic properties of individual nanostructures and their assemblies is now emerging. There were five talks at the symposium. AK Sood (IISc, Bangalore) talked about carbon nanotubes which have potential applications such as nano-scale electronics, sensors, actuators, hydrogen storage, field-induced emission and superstring polymer composites. Synthesis of nanomaterials, EDITOR particularly using biological systems such as fungi, N. Mukunda actinomycetes, and extracts from plant parts was discussed by Murali Sastry (NCL Pune). Tailoring properties of nanoparticles by Published by tuning sizes due to quantum confinement effects were discussed by DD Sarma (IISc, Bangalore). Nanolithography was discussed Indian Academy of Sciences by AK Raychaudhuri (IISc, Bangalore) in which he summarized Bangalore 560 080, India the methods to make materials of sub-micron dimensions and Phone: (080) 2361 2546, 2361 4592 the problems involved in making measurements on these objects. email: [email protected] The last talk was by GU Kulkarni (JNCASR, Bangalore) who described studies to determine size-dependent electronic This newsletter is available on the properties of metal nanocrystal and the synthesis and properties Academy website at : www.ias.ac.in/patrika/ of free-standing nanocrystal films of gold, silver and copper, where the electrical behaviour of these films could be fine-tuned To receive a regular copy of the from metallic to insulating by varying the temperature during Newsletter, please write to the synthesis. Executive Secretary of the Academy The second symposium on “Emerging trends in communication technologies” was jointly organized by Gautam Barua (IIT, Guwahati) and N Balakrishnan (IISc, Bangalore) and contained Forthcoming Events five talks: optical networks (KN Sivarajan, Tejas Networks, Bangalore), satellite and wireless communication (KS Das Gupta, Annual Meetings SAC, Ahmedabad), connecting rural India with special emphasis on North-East (Ashok Jhunjhunwala, IIT, Chennai), the need for 15th Mid-Year Meeting, Bangalore a change from voice telephony to broadband internet in rural or 2–3 July 2004 remote environments that needed community approach to defray costs (Bishnu Pradhan, IIT, Mumbai) and the challenges facing 70th Annual Meeting, Banaras Hindu the North-East region, such as under-development and the tyranny University, Varanasi of geography (Gautam Barua, IIT, Guwahati). At the end of the 19–21 November 2004 symposium, the message that came out was that those parts of the country that are not properly connected electronically will tend to stay away from the mainstream of growth, both Refresher Courses ideologically and otherwise, causing a digital divide. States like Experimental Physics Assam also pose a challenge to network designers and policy- makers, in view of the mountainous terrain. The focus of the Bhavnagar University symposium was to take a hard and close look at possible 25 October – 7 November 2004 technology options that will make bandwidth available in abundance all over the country in general and for states like Assam in Experimental Physics particular so that the nation can enjoy a uniform and sustained University of Mysore, economic growth. 1–15 November 2004 The first public lecture by Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to Plant Genetic Engineering journey into space, was entitled “Manned space flight and earth’s Madurai Kamaraj University, environment”. In view of the popular nature of this topic, the 7–21 December 2004 lecture was arranged at the large Rabindra Bhavan in the centre of Animal Behaviour the city and there were over 1500 Madurai Kamaraj University in the audience, many of them young school children. In his Theoretical Physics lecture, Sharma spoke of the Changanassery technicalities and rigours of space- flight training, the wonders of space Physiology and Biochemistry travel and looking at the earth Goa University through the windows of spacecraft. At the same time, he sounded a Rakesh Sharma warning that mankind should 2 conserve non-renewable natural resources to prevent an Hyderabad) on fluorescence signalling of molecular ecological imbalance on earth. Pollution caused by environment, Shalivahan (ISM, Dhanbad) on electrical affluent lifestyles of people was responsible for the ever- anisotropy of asthenosphere, RM Pitchappan (MKU, increasing degradation of the nature. The western Madurai) on genomic diversity and disease countries have already adopted measures to protect the susceptibility and finally V Purnachandra Rao (NIO, environment. This has resulted in the relocation of Goa) on the genesis of phosphorite deposits. industries to the east because there are no environmental As part of the work of the Academy Panel on Women regulations in this part of the world. in Science constituted recently to look into the issues HY Mohan Ram’s of women scientists, Indira Nath and Rohini Godbole (University of Delhi) public convened a panel discussion at Guwahati in which lecture on “Seeds and members of the panel, Fellows of the Academy and Civilization” highlighted the others interested in this subject participated. value and role of seeds Suggestions made and issues raised at this meeting in the origin of agriculture, will be considered by the panel. the significance of A large number of teachers from the North-East region determining the centres of of the country attended the meeting as guest primary diversity of participants. An interactive session was held with these economically important teachers to brief them about the activities of the plants, and the romantic science education panel. HY Mohan Ram stories of plant introduction and their Finally, a word about the excellent arrangements made impact on civilization. An extended abstract of this at IIT, Guwahati for holding the annual meeting. interesting talk appears elsewhere in this issue. Gautam Barua, Mihir K Chaudhuri and their colleagues did a wonderful job to make the stay of the participants The two special lectures most enjoyable. were by J Gowrishankar (CDFD, Hyderabad) on “The love triangle between Summary of Public Lecture single-stranded RNA and double-stranded DNA: R by HY Mohan Ram loops and their on “Seeds and Civilization” consequences in bacteria” and by Ashoke Sen (HRI, Flowering plants (angiosperms) have been the most successful plants on land since the Cretaceous period. Allahabad) on “The A seed is a morphogenetic enigma, an ecological and search for a unified physiological curiosity and a source of economic theory”. According to J Gowrishankar power. Activities stimulated by fertilization such as rapid Gowrishankar, the R-loop growth of the embryo and endosperm come to an has a three-stranded abrupt stop. This is in utter contrast to the condition in structure and is the mammals where the young is born after attaining physiological intermediate development. During maturation, the seed becomes in plasmid replication and dehydrated and all enzymatic activities are brought to could occur during mRNA a tentative halt. A seed is neither the beginning nor the transcription, proving to be end of a plant’s life. It represents a state of suspended toxic if not dissipated. animation. Ashoke Sen reviewed There is nothing equivalent to a seed in the entire string theory which formed living world. It has three unique features: (i) it generally the basis for a unified results from genetic recombination, (ii) it is the means theory of all matter and of propagation, gene flow and perpetuation of the Ashoke Sen their interactions. species, and importantly, (iii) it enables the plants to survive under extreme environments. No wonder seeds The lecture presentations by new Fellows and Associates have inspired poets and philosophers in their quest for covered a range of topics. Dipankar Bhattacharya (RRI, understanding life. Bangalore) on the magnetic fields of neutron stars, Probal There is no clear-cut answer to the question why it Chaudhuri (ISI, Kolkata) on statistical learning in took so long for humans to discover the seed and use molecular evolution, Saraswathi Vishveshwara (IISc, it as the starting point for raising crops. Various theories Bangalore) on graph theory and biomolecular structure, have been put forth to explain the origin of agriculture SB Krupanidhi (IISc, Bangalore) on quantum well which, according to our present knowledge, is around structures for infrared applications, A Samanta (Univ. of 3 10,000 years old. What prompted people to take up the deliberate sowing of seeds and harvesting of crops 2004 ELECTIONS is not known. No other event has probably changed the course of human history and destiny as agriculture Fellows has. Even now, when we have landed on the moon and have successfully launched the spaceship voyager Agrawal, Manindra to explore Mars, we still depend on rice, wheat, maize Indian Institute of Technology, and potato as our basic food crops. Kanpur Historically the old world and new world agriculture Areas of interest: Computational complexity systems have been different and fairly well-advanced. theory, and computational number theory However, due to lack of contacts, the crops and the methods of cultivation remained unknown. Out of the roughly 2,58,000 flowering plants, over 1000 are used Ahmad, Talat for food in one form or the other. Of these 200 are University of Delhi, commercially cultivated and 30 food crops have an Delhi annual production that exceeds 10 million tonnes. Igneous petrology (geochemistry) and Himalayan geology Two thousand years ago plant products along with silk, gold, ivory, curios and artefacts were mainly traded across the old world by land routes. During the ‘age of exploration’ bold voyages and expeditions were Bachhawat, Anand K undertaken not only to conquer new lands but also to Institute of Microbial Technology, introduce technologies, minerals, animals and food Chandigarh crops. To wrest the monopoly of the spice trade through Microbial genetics, molecular genetics, the land route from the Arabs, the Portuguese set out and microbial biochemistry to find India. Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut on May 20, 1498. When Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain in 1492, he speculated that his fastest route to Bhakuni, Vinod collect gold and spices from the orient was west by Central Drug Research Institute, sea. He had no idea that the island of San Salvador Lucknow in the West Indies he reached in 1492 was the gateway Protein folding and stability, to two unknown continents. Neither the inhabitants of and molecular biophysics this island nor Columbus whom they greeted, could imagine the enormous global consequences of the encounter that commenced that day. Bhanu Sankara Rao K Often unforeseeable, the original intentions of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, voyages were to annex and exploit the riches of Kalpakkam unknown lands. Today the purpose would be to manage Mechanical metallurgy, physical metallurgy, and sustain the lives of humans and domestic animal and materials development in the shrinking world. We have to care and protect the resources of our planet which looks like a blue speck from outer space. Chattopadhyay, Dhrubajyoti To botanists and agriculturists, exchanges and Calcutta University, introductions of crops to the new world from the old Kolkata world and vice versa and from one region to the other Transcription, molecular virology, within the continents have been of tremendous and oxidative stress response significance, as the study of the centres of their diversity presents challenges for research and opportunities for application. Wheat, rice, millets, soybean, banana, Chowdhury, Debashish apples, peaches, citrus fruits, lentil, grapes, chick pea, Indian Institute of Technology, sugarcane and coffee were carried from the old world Kanpur to the new world. Maize, potato, tapioca, sweet potato, Statistical physics, condensed matter physics pumpkin, kidney beans, red pepper, tomato, groundnut, (theory), and biological physics (theory) cashew nut, pineapple, papaya, cocoa, cinchona and rubber are new world crops. These have now been grown on a larger scale in the countries of their introduction than in the regions of their origin. Goswami, Sreebrata Indian Association for the Cultivation The lecture highlighted the centres of primary diversity of Science, Kolkata of important crop plants, the stories of their utilization, Inorganic chemistry, chemical reactions with introduction and conservation. metal mediation, and polymetallic systems
4 Kant, Tarun Radhakrishnan, TP Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai University of Hyderabad, Structural mechanics, Hyderabad mechanics of polymer composites, Materials chemistry, and finite element methods and computational chemistry
Kulkarni, Sulabha K Ramdorai, Sujatha University of Pune, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Pune Mumbai Surface physics, materials science, Algebra, quadratic forms, number theory, and nanoscience and Iwasawa theory
Kumar, G Ravindra Shanbhag, Bhagyashri A Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai Karnatak University, Dharwad Interaction of intense light with matter, Comparative endocrinology and reproduction and nonlinear optical properties of novel (vertebrates), herpetology, materials and animal behaviour
Kumar, M Udaya Sinha, Bikash C University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre and Molecular basis of stress resistance, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata physiology of water use efficiency in plants, Nuclear physics and high energy physics, quark and canopy photosynthesis gluon plasma, and early universe cosmology
Murthy, MVN Tyagi, Akhilesh K The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, University of Delhi South Campus, Chennai New Delhi Particle physics phenomenology, and Plant gene expression, genomics, quantum statistics (semi-classical methods) and biotechnology
Nageswara Rao, G Umapathy, Siva LV Prasad Eye Institute, Indian Institute of Science, Hyderabad Bangalore Cornea, community eye health, Laser spectroscopy, photochemistry, and eye care policy and planning and ultrafast dynamics
Palaniandavar, M Vrati, Sudhanshu Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli National Institute of Immunology, Bioinorganic chemistry, activation of New Delhi molecular oxygen, and structure, Molecular virology, vaccinology, bonding & electron transfer in small molecules and biotechnology
Pillai, M Radhakrishna Yegnanarayana, B Regional Cancer Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Thiruvananthapuram Chennai Tumour biology, molecular biology, Signal processing, speech and vision, and drug development and artificial neural networks
5 Honorary Fellows Ramasami, T Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai Griffiths, Phillip A Rodrigues, Veronica F Institute for Advanced Study, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai Princeton, Sathyamurthy, N NJ Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur Sood, AK Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – (Secretary) Livage, Jacques Chimie de la Matiere Condens’ee, Sopory, SK Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Paris Biotechnology, New Delhi Sunder, VS The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai Varadhan, Srinivasa SR Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, NY ASSOCIATES — 2003
COUNCIL FOR THE TRIENNIUM Bhattacharya, Siddhartha 2004–2006 Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai The outgoing Council held an election in December 2003 Area of Interest: Rigidity theory of to constitute the Council for the next triennium 2004- dynamical systems 2006. The composition of the new Council is as follows: Ramakrishnan, TV Gadgil, Siddhartha Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – (President) Indian Statistical Institute, Kasturirangan K Bangalore Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) – Topology (Previous President) Balakrishnan, N Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – (Treasurer) Ghosh, Saurabh Balasubramanian, D Indian Statistical Institute, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad – (Vice-President) Kolkata Statistical genetics Chandrasekaran, S Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – (Secretary)
Dattagupta, S Goswami, Debashish SN Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (Vice-President) Noncommutative geometry Goswami, JN and noncommutative probability Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad Hasnain, SE Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad Mohanty, Bedangadas Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Indira Nath Kolkata All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Experimental high energy heavy ion collisions Kumar, N Raman Research Institute, Bangalore Kumar, R Nagendra, Harini Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Ashoka Trust for Research in Research, Bangalore – (Vice-President) Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore Indraneel Mittra Landscape ecology Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal Mukunda, N Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Sheth, Hetu C (Vice-President and Editor of Publications) Indian Institute of Technology, Nanjundiah, V Mumbai Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Igneous petrology, and volcanology 6 of precision technology to precision science. Merchant’s new theory on the mechanics of metal cutting in 1944 RAMAN PROFESSOR heralded a new approach, moving away from the empirical work of Taylor (1906) that resulted in a new cutting tool Dr Robert Eugene Williams material (high speed steel), the Taylor tool life equation V T = C, and the Taylor Gantt bar charts. Gene Merchant’s visited India as the twenty- n first Academy Raman theory was considered the start of a golden era in understanding machining. Merchant’s contemporary Milton Professor in December Shaw introduced new theories in the area of grinding, 2003 and January 2004. As one of which is the size effect. Both Merchant and Shaw Director of the Space utilized Bridgman’s work on large plastic flow and fracture Telescope Science Institute to shape their theories. These are well presented in this from 1993 to 1998 he was volume, the size effect being explained in detail. Way responsible for defining the back in 1961 Merchant predicted the imminent use of science programme and numerical control in machining that has changed operation of the Hubble manufacturing globally. Space Telescope, whose The papers presented in this volume report on various spectacular results have benefitted the international aspects of this field such as: size effect in metal cutting; astronomical community. precision grinding; free-form laser printer mirrors; diamond-coated tools made by plasma torch, microwave, During his stay in Bangalore, Williams interacted with and hot filament techniques; nano-finish grinding of brittle the students and faculty of the Raman Research materials. Institute, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, the Indian Institute of Science, and the ISRO Satellite Proceedings of the Workshop on Centre, and delivered several lectures including an Quantum Chromodynamics Academy public lecture. He also visited Pune and Mumbai and delivered lectures at the National Centre for Radio Guest Editors: P Jain, SD Joglekar and V Ravishankar Astronomy, the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy Pramana, Vol. 61, No.5, and Astrophysics, and the Tata Institute of Fundamental November 2003, pp. 785–1054 Research. Quantum chromodynamics continues to be an important area of research in high energy physics. Proper understanding of perturbative QCD is essential for SPECIAL ISSUES OF interpretation of signals at future colliders. There is also considerable effort in the understanding of nonperturbative JOURNALS aspects of QCD. Facilities such as Jefferson Laboratory have already provided many new results in the medium energy aspects of QCD. Furthermore RHIC has also given Frontiers in materials science – Part II considerable impetus to research in quark gluon plasma. Many of the results obtained at these experimental facilities Guest Editors: Baldev Raj and K Bhanu Sankara Rao have not agreed with cherished theoretical ideas. Sâdhanâ Vol. 28, Nos.3/4, June/August 2003, pp. 359–864 The second quantum chromodynamics (QCD 2002) workshop was held at IIT Kanpur in November 2002. This In Patrika 38 (September 2003) Part I of a special issue on was an international meeting and had several (theoretical “Frontiers in materials science” was reported. Part II of this and experimental) invited talks along with many special issue was brought out as two combined issues of contributed papers. The workshop covered many aspects Sadhana (June/August 2003) and contained 26 articles on of quantum chromodynamics including perturbative QCD, a variety of topics in materials science such as solidification structure functions, quark gluon plasma, lattice QCD, cracking, steam turbine components, post-weld heat topological aspects, chiral perturbation theory, effective treatment, hydrogen embrittlement, laser processing of field theories, applications to nuclear physics, spin physics materials, biomaterials and tissue engineering in and exclusive processes. This volume contains 14 of the reconstructive surgery, biomimetics, bulk metallic glasses, invited talks presented at the workshop as also 17 computational materials science, thermomechanical contributed papers. processing of alloys, and teaching of materials science and engineering. Emerging directions in chemical sciences Precision machining Guest Editors: GU Kulkarni, B Bagchi Guest Editor: VC Venkatesh and J Gopalakrishnan Sâdhanâ Vol. 28, No.5, Proceedings: Chemical Sciences, Vol. 115, Nos.5/6, October 2003, pp. 865–974 October/December 2003, pp. 319–806 This special volume is devoted to precision engineering. This special issue of the Proceedings contains a collection Recent progress in this field clearly indicates the transition of articles contributed by the participants of the 7 international conference X-rays, synchrotron radiation, and on Emerging Directions in Chemical Sciences the properties of matter: held in Bangalore during A continuing revolution November 2003. The issue contains forty three articles on a myriad Martin Blume range of topics in The American Physical Society and Brookhaven National chemical sciences, Laboratory, USA which lie at the frontiers I December 2003, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore of current international activity. The topics An immediate scientific include: fullerenes as and public sensation building blocks for followed the discovery of nanoclusters, metal- X-rays in 1895. It is indeed mediated chemical transformations, electrical conduction difficult to think of a major in nanostructured composites, mesoporous materials as catalysts for organic reactions, peptide design, synthesis development in science of a variety of solids in various states of aggregation – since that time that has single crystals, fine powders and thin films, nanomaterials, not been made possible or phase transitions, electron density distribution and significantly affected by aromaticity, and last but not the least, theoretical experiments using X-rays. investigations of several interesting topics, as for example, multiphoton vibrational interaction in NO molecule, ab In this talk the initio study of ferromagnetic perovskites, one-dimensional development of X-ray Bose–Hubbard model, magnetoresistance of manganites sources and the new uses and free energy landscape of small proteins. The diversity made possible by these sources were discussed and and range of topics are indeed remarkable, and the illustrated, and some considerations on the future put guest editors believe that the special issue will be of use forward. to many practitioners of chemical science. Scary: Does it frighten you? PUBLIC LECTURES Marshall Stoneham Centre for Materials Research, University College London, Issues in planetary exploration London, UK 8 January 2004, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore Jacques Blamont French Space Agency As scientists, we (CNES), Paris, France sometimes have to give 19 November 2003, views on matters of direct Raman Research Institute, Bangalore importance to the general public, as well as to ourselves. The issues may be those regarded as matters of life and death. Often, the reason our advice has been sought is a scare story, one of those threats that sounds plausible, but may or may not be true. The story may be If you would like to be included on the backed by statistics used in unconventional ways. The Public Lecture Mailing List speaker discussed some of the contrasts between those please call the Academy office things that frighten and those things that are actually 080-2361 2546 or dangerous, the parallels between statistics in science E-mail : [email protected] and in public perception, and the rules followed by successful writers of scare stories.
8 The standard model of one of the most important scientific tools of modern cosmology, dark matter and dark times, and known throughout the world. The Hubble Telescope carries out a wide-ranging energy: is it correct? programme of observations by astronomers from all JP Ostriker countries. During the past few years it has made Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA important discoveries in a number of different areas 9 January 2004, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore which have advanced our understanding of the birth A standard model for and death of stars, stellar explosions, planetary cosmology has emerged, activity, black holes, and the formation of galaxies. sometimes called the The Hubble’s greatest legacy may turn out to be the concordance model, which stunning views it has given us of the distant universe, is apparently consistent providing a much clearer picture of the formation of the first structures in the universe after the initial Big with a broad suite of Bang. The lecture illustrated the recent discoveries observations. The and servicing missions to the telescope, and described universe begins as a hot how the Hubble has changed the way we perceive big bang, goes through an the universe. Several spectacular photographs shown inflationary phase, and as slides enriched this lecture. then follows a path that is well verified by current Forensic seismology: Earthquakes data. Ordinary baryons represent a small fraction and atomic energy (~5%) of the critical density at the present time, dark Bruce A Bolt matter of some unknown kind(s) is more abundant (~25% University of California, Berkeley, USA of the critical density) and a still more puzzling dark 11 February 2004, Raman Research Institute, energy dominates the matter energy density (~70% of Bangalore the critical density) with the total corresponding to the It is the business of flat universe expectation: Ωtot = 1. Fluctuations in the –5 seismologists to gravitational potential at about the level of 10 obey an measure and study initial distribution that is nearly self-similar, with earthquakes, in order amplitudes distributed in a Gaussian random fashion to understand their about the mean. Structure grows initially via gravitational physics, to assist in instabilities with energy feedback from stars and accreting building safer black holes (“feedback”) playing a minor role. structures, and perhaps Observations of the cosmic background radiation field predict earthquakes and the distribution of galaxies are the two principal reliably. Another and components in establishing this picture. But there are more recent business pieces of evidence that contradict the picture. Most of seismologists is to difficulties are seen on small scales and may indicate monitor compliance either gross problems or only the need for relatively with nuclear test ban treaties. Of structures that minor refinements of the model. But even if the picture earthquakes might affect, few prove as worrisome is basically correct, our knowledge is woefully incomplete as nuclear power stations, other- wise promising as we still have little or no understanding of the origin sources of energy. Their seismic design safety is a and nature of the dominant components of the universe. major concern of seismologists, who use computer The Universe of Hubble Space modelling and observations of strong ground-shaking Telescope to assess their response to earthquakes. Like earthquakes, nuclear energy can be of great Robert Williams destructive potential and a Comprehensive Nuclear Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore Test Ban Treaty has been drafted to deter the 22 January 2004, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore proliferation of nuclear weapons. Seismologists, by One of the largest scientific projects in history, the orbiting remote surveillance of underground weapons’ tests, Hubble Space Telescope was developed by astronomers have now developed effective methods of and NASA over more than twenty years. Immediately discriminating between these and natural earthquakes. after its launch in 1990 it was found to suffer serious optical distortion. A historic servicing mission executed The speaker who has been involved with the scientific by NASA astronauts in 1993 corrected this problem, side of safety in structural designing and in the and the Hubble has been performing superbly since that monitoring of underground tests discussed both these time, with its beautiful images of the universe making it topics.
9 What impact, if any, has feminism had on science? REFRESHER Evelyn Fox Keller COURSES Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA 19 February 2004, Indian Institute of Science, Experimental Physics Bangalore Goa University, Goa A written version based 28 October–10 November 2003 on this lecture appears No. of participants: 13 in the latest issue of the Journal of Course Director: R Srinivasan, Course Co-ordinator: Biosciences published PR Sarode by the Academy (Vol. Resource persons: AW Joshi and VH Raybagkar 29, No.1, March 2004, (Sardar Patel University), AB Bhattacharyya (Noida), BA pp. 7–13). Dasannacharya (Mumbai), CS Sundar (IGCAR, Kalpakkam), R Srinivasan (RRI, Bangalore), RB Prabhu, PR Sarode, JAE Desa, and KR Priolkar and others Discussion Meeting (of Goa University). The teacher Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation participants were Orange County, Coorg from Calicut, 22–26 February 2004 Chennai, Goa, Kannur, Kolkata, The announcement of results from the Wilkinson Madurai, Nagpur, Nuvem Goa, Tirunelveli, Trichy, and microwave anisotropy probe (WMAP) is considered a Trivandrum. watershed in contemporary cosmology and this discussion meeting was considered appropriate to Extracts from the report on the course: get a set of people to discuss its implication. The This course was aimed at exposing teachers to some meeting, attended by about dozen participants, new low-cost and simple experiments in addition to discussed the recent developments in the study of standard experiments in solid state physics. The teachers cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR). The were required to build a few instruments necessary to meeting focussed on various aspects of the study of carry out many simple experiments in physics. CMBR, from theoretical to observational, and the future prospects. The meeting began with an overview The programme started with talks on the underlying by T. Padmanabhan. K. Subramanian discussed the physics of the selected experiments and projects. The basic theoretical concepts behind the generation of participants were divided into two batches. While one CMBR anisotropy, and T. Souradeep dealt with various carried out experiments, the other worked on their projects. subtleties in interpreting the data. T. Seshadri and S. The following experiments were developed by KR Priolkar Sethi talked about polarization of CMBR, R. Srianand and SM Sadique and their efforts were aided by Preeti discussed the physics of the intergalactic matter and Bhobe, Neeta Kole and Pratima Dhuri, students of the its relevance to the study of CMBR, J. Bagla discussed department: (1) measurement of the Stefan-Boltzmann gravitational lensing of CMBR, and B. Nath reviewed constant; (2) study of the Wieder mann-Franz relation; (3) the Comptonization of CMBR. S. Trivedi discussed determination of dielectric constant and dipole moment the connections between string theory and cosmology of an organic molecule. and U. Yagnik talked about the mechanism of inflation which has important implications for the study of Project work and experiments: CMBR. Study of Hall effect; electrical resistivity of a The meeting was fruitful as experts from different semiconductor by the four-probe method; susceptibility areas—from astrophysics to particle physics— of a paramagnetic solid; study of electron spin resonance; gathered to exchange their ideas and is likely to study of hysteresis loop; X-ray diffraction pattern of copper. foster collaborative efforts between various groups in The projects carried out by participants included a the country working on different aspects of cosmology. constant current source and dielectric constant
10 measurement circuit; A temperature controller and a sine The teacher wave generator using IC 8038. participants were from Burdwan, Special lectures were arranged in the area of experimental Eluru, Gulbarga, physics. In his lecture AW Joshi (Sardar Patel University) Guntur, Hydera- talked about difficulties in learning experimental physics bad, Kurnool, and wave diffraction. With VH Raybagkar (Wadia College) Nagaur, Pune, he demonstrated some simple mechanics and laser- Sagar, and based experiments. Participants were encouraged to get Warangal. hands on experience during these demonstrations. AB Bhattacharyya discussed microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Ameeta Chimulkar demonstrated the Extracts from the report: use of SPICE software for design and simulation of Geoscience instruction finds itself in a predicament electronic circuits. Each participant was given a CD today because of lack of students interested in the containing the software downloaded from the Internet subject. The objective of the course was to broadbase public domain. CS Sunder spoke on the course conducted geoscience education and the participants therefore at IGCAR, Kalpakkam in October 2002. BA included, besides teachers in geoscience, those from Dasannacharya shared his experiences of his scientific civil engineering, environment and economics. The career in designing new instruments at BARC. RB Prabhu themes were therefore chosen to address the twin talked about the basics of magnetism to cover Guoy’s objectives of broad-basing and employment orientation balance and experiments on the B.H.Loop, resistivity of geoscience instruction. Each lecturer was and Hall effect. PR Sarode talked on electron spin specifically asked in advance to indicate how teaching resonance and X-ray diffraction experiments. JAE Desa in his/her area of expertise could be so oriented as spoke on the treatment of errors in measurements. SM to lead to jobs. The topics thus included Internet- Sadique spoke on the design and construction of based geoscience instruction, linkage subjects such dielectric constant circuit and sinewave generator while as geomorphology, meteorology, coastal resources Efrem Desa covered design and construction of the management, land-use planning, remote sensing, constant current source and temperature controller. agriculture, geophysical approaches, water resources management, soil resources management and mineral Towards the end of the course R Srinivasan explained resources management. to the participants the basic concepts behind each experiment and talked on the philosophy of the There were evening lectures on colloquia on experimental physics course and some aspects of geoscience topics, which are of public interest. These designing new experiments in physics. included international cooperation in teaching and research in geosciences, east coast gas deposits, The participants, although small in number, showed keen paradigm of knowledge-driven economic development, interest and enthusiasm in completing the projects and ocean development, and geosciences, are large scale performing the experiments. The project and experimental water transfers necessary?, how to use R&D in sessions extended late into the night on some days. geosciences to create new jobs etc. A full-day field The project kits developed by the participants were excursion related to water and soil issues in Kothapalli donated to their respective teaching departments for Watershed was organized. This joint programme of use. ICRISAT and the Andhra Pradesh government is known for effective implementation of various water Earth Sciences and soil conservation works. Another full-day excursion Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, was organized to the Robosand plant on the outskirts Hyderabad of Hyderabad to help the teachers understand 3–15 November 2003 environmentally sustainable, no-waste technologies No. of participants: 13 in the mineral industries. Course Directors: U Aswathanarayana and KV A roundtable discussion on “Natural resources Subbarao; Course Co-ordinator: B. Venkateswara Rao management, geoscience instruction and jobs” was arranged which was also attended by Arun Nigavekar Resource persons: U Aswathanarayana (Mahadevan Int. (Chairman, UGC, New Delhi), Umberto Cordani Centre for Water Resources Management, Hyderabad); (International Union of Geological Sciences, Sao Paulo, KV Subbarao (IIT, Mumbai); B Venkateswararao and other Brazil) and Claudio Caponi (World Meteorological faculty from JNTU (Hyderabad) ICRISAT, (Patancheru), Organization, Geneva). Several decisions of far- Universities of Mangalore, Andhra and Pune. reaching importance were made at the discussion for
11 consideration by UGC and other agencies. These linear absorption coefficient; to study gamma ray spectra included: how to make geoscience education broad- using scintillation counting system. based and employment-oriented; possible curricular Materials Science: structures; co-ordination mechanisms; institutional Resistivity measurements by d.c. four- mechanisms, and who pays for them; syllabus for probe technique, determination of specific heat of UGC/CSIR/GSI etc competitive examinations; role of graphite, Hall effect, determination of dielectric constant earth sciences in the newly proposed National of solids. Institute of Sciences, etc. Electronics: Combinational and sequential logic design by using analog to digital (ADC) & digital to analog converter Experimental Physics (DAC), Characteristics of DIAC and TRIAC and their Saurashtra University, Rajkot applications. 3–16 November 2003 No. of participants: 13 Physics of the Atmosphere and Course Director: MK Mehta, Course Co-ordinator: the Ocean DG Kuberkar CAOS, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 1–12 December 2003 Resource No. of participants: 16 persons: S K Malik (TIFR, Course Director: BN Goswami Mumbai); A K. Resource persons: R Narasimha (NIAS, Bangalore); Raychaudhuri Sulochana Gadgil, J Srinivasan, BN Goswami, RN (IISc, Bangalore); Iyengar, GS Bhat, D Sengupta, R Nanjundiah, PN R G Kulkarni Vinayachandran, SK Satheesh et al., (all of IISc, (Shivaji University); Bangalore) and PV Joseph (Cochin). M K Mehta (Ahmedabad) and faculty from Universities of Marathwada, Bhavnagar, Saurashtra, etc. The teacher participants represented institutions from Amravati, Anantapur, Datia, Gondia, Gwalior, Junagadh, Nanded, Pune, and Rajkot.
Extracts from the report: Teacher participants were from Agra, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chittor, Cochin, Coimbatore, Gulbarga, Guwahati, Kanpur, The refresher course was aimed at motivating physics Mangalore, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Silchar, Sitapur, Solapur, teachers to improve their experimental skills and Trivandrum. develop insight for designing and setting up of physics experiments in college and university laboratories. Extracts from the report: There were lectures on recent developments in physics and laboratory experiments in selected areas As teaching of atmospheric and oceanic sciences is not of condensed matter physics, nuclear physics and widespread in the country, the philosophy of this course electronics. In addition emphasis was also on the was to introduce important physical concepts and design, building and testing of four experimental theoretical and observational tools to understand complex projects namely DC regulated power supply, constant phenomena in the atmosphere and the ocean and to current source, ON/OFF temperature controller, and prepare background to develop models for prediction of high temperature tubular furnace. weather and climate. A comprehensive laboratory manual and data book In his inaugural talk VK Gaur highlighted the feedbacks was given to all participants for understanding various that lead to climate variability and importance of the aspects related to particular experiments conducted global carbon cycle. The course began with some basics during the course. The experiments included in the such as observing techniques by SK Satheesh and laboratory work were: fundamentals of fluid mechanics by R Narasimha followed by observed state of the general circulation of the Nuclear Physics: To determine the characteristics of atmosphere by BN Goswami and the ocean by PN G.M. tube and dead time of a G.M. counter; to study Vinayachandran and geophysical fluid dynamics by D the intensity of gamma rays as they pass through Sengupta. This was followed by atmospheric different thicknesses of Al-foils and to determine the thermodynamics and clouds by GS Bhat and atmospheric
12 radiation by SK Satheesh. With this background Two special lectures on “New frontiers in meteorology” R Nanjundiah introduced the complexities of developing by RR Kelkar and “Physical basis for prediction of three-dimensional general circulation models for prediction seasonal climate” by Jerome Vialard were arranged. of weather and climate. PN Vinayachandran introduced general circulation models of the ocean. They also Mathematical Analysis and highlighted the challenges in developing more accurate Applications models for prediction of weather and climate. Synthesis Berhampur University, Berhampur of observations through large scale modelling was 1–13 December 2003 emphasized throughout. As statistical techniques are essential in bringing out physical signals of atmospheric No. of participants: 30 and oceanic phenomena from large volume of Course Director: V Kannan, Course Co-ordinator: atmospheric and oceanic data, two lectures were arranged TC Panda by RN Iyenger on basics of statistical techniques used in Atmospheric and Oceanic sciences. Some special Resource persons: V Kannan (Univ. of Hyderabad); topics such as Indian monsoon and its variability by S BV Rao and BS Dandapat (ISI, Kolkata); faculty from Gadgil, EI Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO), global Universities in Utkal, Berhampur and Andhra and SAC, warming, tropical cyclone (TC) and thunderstorms were Ahmedabad. also discussed in order to provide a flavour of interesting The teacher participants were from Adoor, Aska, physical processes involved in some of the important Berhampur, Bhismagiri, Bhubaneswar, Chikiti, Chirala, and challenging weather and climatic phenomena. Cuttack, Ganjam, Hazaribagh, Hinjicut, Hyderabad, Khalikote, Mahuda, Nagpur, Puttur, Sriperumbudur, The afternoon sessions were devoted to demonstrations Vadlamudi, and Warangal. and laboratory work. Some fluid dynamics movies illustrating some basic fluid dynamics processes (e.g. This course was aimed at providing an up-to-date drag, vorticity etc) were shown to the participants. An exposure of the latest techniques and mission mode introduction to principles involved in remote sensing developments in mathematics, and to create techniques was given by J Srinivasan who also illustrated awareness and strong motivation among teachers and the usefulness of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment researchers. The topics covered included: Real (ERBE) data. Highly accurate with high spatial resolution analysis, conditional probability and Markov Chains, sea surface temperature (SST) data obtained by the fuzzy logic, equivalences of axiom of choice and microwave imager on board the TRMM satellite as well axiomatic set theory, differential equations, dynamical as the surface wind measurements by the scatterometer systems, mathematical modelling in meteorology and on board the QickSCAT satellite were demonstrated by physical processes, turbulence, air pollution, satellite D Sengupta. The participants were also given sensors and orbits for earth observations and demonstration on actual running of atmospheric GCM’s applications in atmospheric sciences, remote sensing and oceanic GCM’s. SK Satheesh demonstrated the and geographical parameters, rough sets, and Banach working of the automatic weather station (AWS) stationed algebra and symbolic calculus and real sequence. at CAOS and the radiometer used for measurement of aerosol. GS Bhat demonstrated certain unique properties Frontiers in Inorganic Chemistry of rotating fluids (e.g. Taylor columns) using a rotating Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur table. He also demonstrated inter-tropical convergence 18–31 December 2003 zone (ITCZ) like phenomenon in the rotating table using No. of participants: 17 a line heating. Course Director: RN Mukherjee Quantitative aspects of atmospheric and oceanic sciences were emphasized throughout the course. In Resource persons: R Murugavel (IIT, Mumbai); order for participants to carry forward quantitative aspects AJ Elias (IIT, New Delhi); S Goswami (IACS, Kolkata); of the training, they were given a book entitled “Meteorology for scientists and engineers” by Roland Stull and a hand held instrument to measure temperature and relative humidity and time. It is envisaged that the teacher participants will involve students in their respective places to maintain regular record of these important climatic variables. This is expected to not only provide good records of climatic data over a number of places but also enthuse some young students to get into this field.
13 S Sarkar, PK Bharadwaj and RN Mukherjee (all of IIT, Kanpur).
The teacher participants covered the cities of Banda, Bangalore, Belgaum, Chennai, Dharwad, Jhalda, Kanpur, Mahishadal, Patiala, and Raja Rammohunpur,
The course was organized to enable participants to incorporate modern inorganic chemistry topics into the curricula of their respective institutions. Lectures at the course would hopefully demonstrate the strong interrelationship between different branches of modern inorganic chemistry.
The course started with a general mixer where the Bangalore); N Periasamy (TIFR, Mumbai); BG. Maiya expectations and requirements of the course were (University of Hyderabad); PK Palanisamy (Anna Univ, discussed. Every morning there were three lectures Chennai). (60 minutes) on various aspects of inorganic chemistry while in the afternoon practical sessions were held. The teachers were from Bhilai Nagar, Bhilai, Chennai, In all lectures emphasis was on fundamentals. The East Tambaram, Hubli, Kollam, Madurai, Pune, Trichy, following topics were considered by resource persons: and Visakapatnam. Transition metal chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, The lectures covered the broad area of lasers, techniques, supramolecular chemistry, main group chemistry and detection and applications in chemistry and also included organometallic chemistry. Special lecture topics fundamentals of spectroscopy including lasers, vision, included: Magnetism and absorption spectra of photodynamic therapy and medical applications. There coordination complexes, variable-valence of transition were three lectures of 90 min duration each followed by metal ions, bioinorganic chemistry, EPR spectroscopy. 60 min of demonstration practicals. The practical sessions (2½ hours duration) The participants were given books on “Laser demonstrated how a few simple inorganic chemistry fundamentals” by William T Silfvast, and “Laser technology experiments can be carried out in a college laboratory and applications” by Mukunda Rao and a digital form of using bare minimum laboratory facilities. The the resource and lecture materials. experiments conducted include: extraction and identification of DNA from green peas, determination of calcium in milk powder by EDTA, preparation and photochemistry of tris (oxalato) iron (III), blue printing LECTURE SERIES by photochemical reduction of tris (oxalato) iron (III), preparation of [Ni(NH3)6]Cl2 and use of UV-vis spectroscopy for characterization, iodine in iodized Statistics in theory and practice common salt, preparation of acetylferrocene and its St. Thomas College, Pala purification by column chromatography and 1–3 October 2003 characterization by IR and UV-vis spectra. Participants: 100 students and faculty from statistics, A book titled “General chemistry experiments” by botany and zoology departments of colleges in Pala. AJ Elias was distributed to each participant. Speakers: AP Gore and SA Paranjpe (Univ. of Pune); Lasers and Applications in T Krishnan (Systat. Software, Bangalore); Chemical Processes S Ramasubramanian (ISI, Bangalore); et al. University of Madras, Chennai Lectures delivered: Statistics of animal abundance 19–31 January 2004 estimation; statistics and design of experiments in No. of participants: 21 forestry; statistical analysis of clinical trial data; crossover Course Director: P Natarajan, Course Co-ordinator: designs; statistics in business and management; index P Ramamurthy construction; Markov chain Monte Carlo; population dynamics in microbiology; statistical issues in the Resource persons: P Ramamurthy and P Natarajan measurement of biodiversity; statistical sample survey (Madras University); PK Das and S Umapathy (IISc, on plantation crops.
14 Nonlinear Dynamics and its Topics covered: Chemistry of photochemical processes; Green chemistry; natural products in drug Applications discovery; chemistry of tetrathiomolybdate; AVVM Sri Pushpam College, Poondi photoelectrochemistry; preparation of fascinating 9–11 October 2003 porous solids; supramolecular chemistry; determination of aldehydes and ketones in the atmosphere; science Participants: 140 students and teachers from of human development; redox chemistry of chromium Bharathidasan and other universities in Tamil Nadu. in industrial chemistry. There were also a few student Speakers: M Lakshmanan, (Bharathidasan University); presentations. V Balakrishnan and Neelima Gupte (IIT, Chennai); and others from IIT, Chennai, Universities of Madras and Life Sciences Tirunelveli, NIT (Tiruchirappalli), Pushpam College, etc. Aurora’s Degree College, Hyderabad Topics covered: Nonlinear dynamical systems; stability 27–28 November 2003 analysis; theory of solitons; local stability analysis and Participants: About 300 students and faculty from application to population models; logistic map and duffing universities and colleges in Hyderabad. oscillator; fractals and multifractals; linear and nonlinear oscillators; nonlinear electronics chaos and its Speakers: D Balasubramanian (LV Prasad Eye Inst, characterization; computational methods and Hyderabad); S Mahadevan and D Chatterjee (IISc, demonstration; nonlinearity in Bose–Einstein Bangalore); Ch Mohan Rao and U. Bhadra (CCMB, condensation. Hyderabad); J Nagaraju and J Gowrishankar (CDFD, Hyderabad); TP Radhakrishnan (Univ. of Hyderabad). Frontier Lectures in Biology Topics covered: Decoding human genome; from University of Mysore double helix to gene regulation: the operon model 5–6 November 2003 protein folding; bacterial transcription; silk worm; gene Participants: 250 students and faculty from University silencing and RNA interference; renaissance of plastic of Mysore age; the love triangle between SS RNA and DS DNA. Speakers: G Padmanaban, Usha VijayRaghavan, MRN Biological Sciences: Now and Murthy, AJ Rao, RR Dighe (all of IISc, Bangalore); Gaiti beyond Hasan (NCBS, Bangalore); J Nagaraju (CDFD, Hyderabad); V Prakash (CFTRI, Mysore). St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai 12–13 January 2004 Topics covered: Malaria parasite biology; genetic regulators of the rice inflorescence and flower Participants: About 150 students and faculty from development pathway; TIM barrel proteins: cellular St. Xavier’s College. differentiation: glycoprotein hormones: IP3 signalling in Drosophila; RNA interference-mediated baculovirus Speakers: V Nanjundiah (IISc, Bangalore): Shubha resistance in Bombyx mori; innovations in biology leading Tole Sudipta Maiti and KS Krishnan (TIFR, Mumbai) to career development. and others from IIT, BARC, Mumbai. Topics covered: Molecular to systems biology, Frontiers in Chemical Sciences development and social behaviour of a simple Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, microorganism; humans as big flies; gal regulon of Prasanthi Nilayam yeast; a paradigm for eukaryotic gene regulation; cell 10–12 November 2003 cycle progression: dynamic microtubules and cancer chemotherapy; new microscopes; making the invisibles Participants: Students and faculty from the chemistry visible in neurobiology; potions from poisons. department of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Speakers: P Natarajan (National Centre for Ultra Fast Quantum information theory Processes, Chennai); S Chandrasekaran (IISc, SB College, Changanacherry Bangalore); BG Maiya (University of Hyderabad); 26–28 January 2004 R Ramaraj (MKU); T Ramasami (CLRI, Chennai) and others from Dr Reddy’s Research Foundation, NCL, Pune Speakers: R Simon (IMSc, Chennai), N Mukunda and Sathya Sai Institute. and AD Patel (IISc, Bangalore)
15 Current concepts in biological creating various facilities for carrying out basic and applied research in nuclear materials such as uranium, thorium, research zirconium etc. His own research interests were in Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli evaluating the interaction of interstitial and substitutional 27–28 February 2004 impurities in zirconium using internal friction techniques and in structure property correlations in nuclear materials. Speakers: S Mahadevan, DN Rao, D. Chatterji, He assisted in the development of flow sheets for the P. Sadhale, U. Varshney, PN Rangarajan (IISc, manufacture of nuclear reactor components such as Bangalore); N Gautham (Univ. of Madras). zircaloy-2 cladding tubes and pressure tubes and Zr-Nb Topics covered: DNA structure and transcription; pressure tubes. Another area of his expertise was in regulation of protein synthesis; restriction-modification failure analysis investigations and he was involved in systems; gene expression and regulation in evaluations on the heavy water plant explosions at Baroda prokaryotes and eukaryotes; genomics and proteomics and Tuticorin, and Air India’s Kanishka air crash in Ireland. in drug discovery; expression profiling using He also worked on the development of metallic microarrays; gene therapy; advances in developmental membranes for gaseous diffusion studies where he biology; and bioinformatics for biologists. developed the membranes of the requisite quality. Development of plate type fuel element for the nuclear submarines was another activity where he devoted OBITUARIES considerable effort. Asundi was made a Distiguished Alumnus of BHU in M oodalagiri 1973 and was recipient of the National Metallurgists Day Kushalrao Asundi Award of the Ministry of Steel, Govt.of India in 1974. (elected 1975) passed He leaves behind his wife Lakshmi and two sons, Ravi away in Mumbai on 1 and Jai. December 2003 due to cardiac arrest. Asok Ghosh (elected Asundi was born on 1 1982) was born on 20 May 1930 at Gadag in January 1927 at Jamalpur, Karnataka. He obtained now part of Bangladesh. his B.E. in metallurgical He passed his M.Sc in engineering from BHU Zoology from University of in 1953. He then joined Calcutta in 1948 and the Department of obtained a second Metallurgy at IISc Bangalore as a research student. Masters degree in In 1955 he joined the Metallurgy Division of the then anatomy from the McGill Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay wherefrom University in Canada. In he retired in 1990 as the head of the Physical 1955, he was awarded the Metallurgy Division of the renamed Bhabha Atomic Ph.D degree of University Research Centre (BARC). of Calcutta. He started his research career as a lecturer In the first few years of his career he was responsible in Zoology in Bangabasi College, Calcutta (1950–52) and for evaluating the microstructure of uranium using for a brief period (1953–55) worked at McGill University optical metallographic techniques. One had to take a and at the University of California in Davis. On returning to India he joined the Bengal Veterinary College, Calcutta lot of precautions in handling this radioactive material (1955–56) as an Assistant Professor of Histology. In and exercise care in electropolishing this highly 1957, he joined the University of Calcutta as a lecturer reactive metal. Not only did Asundi develop an in Zoology, became a reader in 1971 and subsequently expertise in this but trained a vast number of people took over as the Sir Nilrattan Sircar Professor of Zoology. including physicists who joined his group and who In 1992 he continued in the University as CSIR emeritus did not know what a microstructure was. scientist. In 1960 he went to the Imperial College of Science Ghosh’s research contributions in avian endocrinology and Technology for his Ph D, which he obtained in are internationally recognized. His studies on the 1963. He worked on Cu-Al bronzes under the guidance distribution pattern of the avian medullary hormones added of DRF West. significantly to our knowledge of taxonomic endocrinology. Returning to BARC in 1963 as head of the Physical He proved that in birds, as a contrast to mammals, Metallurgy Section he was made responsible for norepinephrine (NE) appears to be an equally active
16 glucose-enhancing hormone compared to epinephrine (E). educational system, its inadequacies and the changes An almost parallel effectiveness of both NE and E as necessary to make it relevant to our villages. When pressor hormones has also been recorded in the avians. his ideas had crystallized sufficiently, he set up an His contributions on the polysaccharide cytochemistry institution known as Vidnyanashram or Vigyan Ashram of the avian adrenal medulla and the heat protective at a place known as Pabal, which is a village 60 kms action of NE merit mention. Besides his findings on the from Pune. This Ashram teaches its boys and girls avian adrenal medulla, Ghosh also significantly simple workshop technology including steel working, contributed to our understanding of cytomorphic zonal welding, house construction with mostly locally concept in the bird interrenal, avian neurosecretion and available materials, healthy cookery, nutrition, hygiene ecologic adaptation, cytophysiology of the bird pancreas and sanitation, poultry and dairying, simple pathological and the hormonal control of the uropygial gland. His tests like urine and blood tests, mechanical and research publications number over 250. electrical maintenance, the use and maintenance of Ghosh was a fellow of all the three national academies computers and finally business and entrepreneurial in India and presided over the zoology section of the skills. Its alumni have set up small businesses and Indian Science Congress in 1975. The other recognitions service industries and have become useful and that he received include: UGC National Lecturer (1977), respected members of the village community. Over the Hari Om Trust Award, the JC Bose Award of UGC the last 20 years, under his guidance Vidnyanashram (1979) and the JG Law Medal of the Asiatic Society has developed and sold household steel furniture, (1984). earth resistance meters for finding and mapping water tables underground, geodesic domes for housing and He passed away on 29 September 2003 leaving behind storage, preserved foods like partly dehydrated his wife and a son. groundnuts and quick cooking chicken meat, etc. But Shrinath Seshagiri what outshines all other achievements is the invention Kalbag (elected 1974) and development of “Mechbull” a cheap and simple was born in Bombay on tractor with ploughing, threshing and water pump 23 October 1928. He did attachments. It can be constructed and maintained his B.Sc from the Royal by the ultimate user. Kalbag developed a computer Institute of Science in course on CD-ROM disks, which interactively teaches 1948 and an M.Sc in even a school boy the basics of a computer, its Chemical Engineering assembly and maintenance, as well as the use of from the University common software like Windows, etc. At the time of Department of Chemical his passing away he had just launched an Internet Technology in Bombay in service to provide wireless Internet connections using 1952. He obtained his WLL technology so that the newly computer literate Ph.D from University of villagers and industrial units in the area would have Illinois in 1955 on a thesis affordable and reliable Internet services. His dream related to fatty acid esters of sugars and related was to make advanced technology available to every compounds. He returned to India in 1956 to join CFTRI, villager who wanted it. Mysore as a senior scientific assistant and later as senior scientific officer. During this period he was involved He was the recipient of the GD Parakhe award, the in designing and commissioning of a large variety of unit Natu award, and the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj award. operations equipment and process development, He passed away on 30 July 2003 leaving behind his particularly of evaporators, driers and centrifuges, and wife Mira and a son. plant for processing of fruits and vegetables, tubers and oilseeds. He was also involved in integrated processing Rajagopala Natarajan of groundnut for separation of fats, protein and (elected 1981) passed carbohydrate. away on 2 December 2003 at Chennai after In 1963 he joined the Hindustan Lever Research Centre a brief illness. A in Mumbai as the head of the engineering group. Here dedicated marine he was responsible for process development and transfer biologist, he served as of processes to manufacture chemicals, detergents, oils the Director of the and foods. He led a team that transferred over 25 Centre for Advanced processes from laboratory to commercial manufacture Studies (CAS) in involving capital investment of over Rs. 10 crores. Marine Biology, In 1983 he left Hindustan Lever to involve in something Annamalai University that became a passion for him. This was to do with our for about 20 years
17 (1968–88). At the invitation of the Anna University, he assistant to the Professor of Operative Surgery (1945– also established the Ocean Data Centre, in Chennai 48), and gradually rose to the ranks of Assistant Professor (1988–91). He was also an invited visiting faculty of of Orthopaedic Surgery (1945–48), lecturer (1951–57), the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai. reader (1951–57) and professor of neurosurgery, and for a brief period as the principal until his retirement in 1978. Born on 9 July 1930 in an orthodox middle class family of the holy town Chidambaram, he was educated For some time he was also concurrently the head of in Government School. At Annamalai (1946–62), he Department of Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgeon was trained by the renowned hardcore Zoologists, RV at the Government General Hospital in Madras. Seshaiya and P Govindan in embryology and genetics. A pioneer in setting up the science of brain surgery in Later he bloomed into an excellent malacologist at India, he initiated training and research in this field. He the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1963–67). In successfully conducted research in many aspects of 1968, he returned to Annamalai, when under brain surgery, neurophysiology, and neurology, depth Seshaiya’s leadership, a department of marine biology surgery of the brain, treatment of pain, behavioural was being carved out of the zoology Department. disorders and involuntary movements by stereotaxic During its formative years, CAS Marine Biology had surgery, physiological effects of brain injuries, pituitary the immense benefit of his leadership, drive and tumours and acoustic neurinomas. Old–timers at MMC dynamism. could not accept this youngster’s claims to neurosurgical As a teacher par excellence, he organized the skills since they contradicted the then prevailing theory postgraduate course in marine biology and recruited that operations on the brain were almost uniformly fatal. students all over India. He was the first Indian to To overcome this he strove to develop the goodwill and bring a Colombo PL480 project for marine biology. He confidence of not only his patients but his colleagues as established linkages with many foreign institutions. well. He began developing the physical requirements of Natarajan pioneered studies on the molluscan a neurological department. In 1962, a chance opportunity taxonomy and resolved many complicated species to treat a dignitary enabled him to invite Dennis Williams by adapting morphometry and chemotaxonomy. His and Laurence Walsh who helped him to start a stereotactic contribution to marine microbiology focused on the surgery unit enabling a wide variety of stereotactic isolation of actinomycetes from marine sediments, operations. His department became a national referral besides surveying the east coast for the occurrence centre and patients requiring stereotaxy flocked to Madras. of vibrio and coliforms, as a measure of bacterial The experiences thus gained from large number of contamination. operations have been recorded in several papers of Ramamurthi and his colleagues. Similarly the As a pioneer in marine biology, he played a key role electrophysiological studies carried out from cortical and in the formation and establishment of the National depth recordings have been well documented. He Institute of Oceanography and Marine Biology published over 200 research papers and delivered 120 Institutions in many coastal Universities. In 1984, the special lectures at various fora. Government of Tamil Nadu honoured him with an award for his contribution to Environmental Sciences. After retiring from government service, he started another Natarajan is survived by his wife Mangalam, two neurosurgical centre in the Voluntary Health Services sons and two daughters. Medical Centre at Chennai. He was intensely committed to maintaining high standards Balasubramanian of postgraduate medical education and served as Ramamurthi (elected President of the National Board of Examinations for many 1972) was born on 30 years. Many honours came to him. He was President of January 1922 in the Neuroscience Society of India, Association of Madras. He had a Biomedical Scientists in India, Society for History of brilliant academic Medicine, and National Academy of Medical Sciences. career. A Johnstone He was an honorary brigadier of the Indian Army, honorary gold medallist as the surgeon to the President of India and Honorary President best outgoing student, of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. The he obtained his MBBS Government of India honoured him with Padma Shri and in 1943 and MS from Padma Bhushan. Madras University and FRCS from Edinburgh He passed away on 12 December 2003 leaving behind in 1947. He started his his wife, Indira, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, and career at the Madras Medical College (MMC) as an two sons.
18 Sivaraj Ramaseshan, a icosahedral coordination – the Platonic solid which past-president of the Linus Pauling did not include in his list. An elegant Academy, passed away at method of separating the partial structure factors in Bangalore on 29 a liquid was proposed by him and TG Ramesh, which December 2003. Born on is now used universally, especially in the case of 10 October 1923 in technically important liquid alloys. Calcutta, Ramaseshan took his M.Sc degree in Ramaseshan pioneered the multiwavelength method physics from Nagpur in of solving the phase problem of X-ray crystallography 1943. He then joined the and proved (with K Venkatesan and NV Mani) its Indian Institute of Science practicability. With the advent of tunable synchrotron to work with CV Raman X-ray sources this technique has been revived and in optics, mineralogy and has become commonplace. Ramaseshan proposed crystallography and obtained his DSc degree from Nagpur that neutron anomalous scattering by special isotopes University in 1949. In 1945 he became a member of the can be fruitfully used to determine structures of very IISc faculty where he initiated researches in magnetic large molecules like proteins. He was involved in many resonance and X-ray crystallography. For a brief period firsts (at least in India): setting up with G Suryan the during 1954–55 he taught and worked at Brooklyn first paramagnetic resonance experiments (1950); Polytechnic in US as a visiting scientist on low establishing the first materials science and technology temperature crystallography. In 1962 he moved to IIT laboratory in the country (1966); designing and Madras to organize the teaching and research at the fabricating the first ever FRP nutation damper for the Department of Physics. In 1964 Dorothy Hodgkin invited Indian satellite (with PS Goel and RV Ramani); making him to Oxford where he worked for two years before porous FRP tubes for desalination (with RV Ramani). returning to India in 1966 to join the National Aeronautical He and AV Ramani were mainly responsible for Laboratory in Bangalore. At NAL he organized the first selecting novel materials and the fabrication processes materials science laboratory in India and initiated research (an ingenious application of materials science) for the and development in high pressure science, fibre reinforced first Indian heart valve prosthesis. composites, electrocomposites, electronic materials, novel methods of fabrication, failure analysis etc. In Besides his scientific contributions, Ramaseshan has 1979, he rejoined IISc as Associate Director (1979–80) been associated with the growth of many important and finally became its Director (1981–84). Retiring from research instititutions. He played a key role in the IISc in 1984, he joined the Raman Research Insitute as growth of Raman Research Institute after the passing Professor Emeritus. of its founder in 1970. At IISc he was responsible for starting 12 centres of excellence and initiated many Ramaseshan’s researches covered a number of fields in novel schemes. He played an important part in physics and materials science and in these either by establishing the ASTRA Research Centre in India. He himself or with his students, he discovered many also helped set up an exceedingly fine research interesting and unexpected effects. He proposed, for the laboratory for building materials for an industry, and a first time, laws that govern cleavages in crystals which factory to manufacture biodevices. he was able to verify by observations on diamond. With R. Nityananda, he developed a theory according to which Ramaseshan was elected a Fellow of this Academy natural or stress-optic birefringence is caused by each in 1955 and became a member of the Council in of the dispersion frequencies of the substance splitting 1968. Between 1968 and 1988, he occupied the into two by the anisotropic distribution of atoms; positions of President (1983–85), Vice-President (1971 – experiments strikingly confirmed this theory. He predicted 79) and Editor of Publications (1977–82). This was a that pressure can induce liquid crystallinity in some normal period of extraordinary growth in the Academy with liquids. Along with GS Ranganath, he showed that stress Ramaseshan taking overall responsibility in its can induce optical activity in certain optically inactive activities. The fellowship rose from around 200 in crystals; that polarized neutrons can display the 1968 to nearly 600 in 1988. The publication activity phenomenon of “optical activity” when traversing was considerably expanded. The Academy helimagnetic crystals. Ramaseshan, with TG Ramesh Proceedings, published in two sections, were split and V Shubha searched for and succeeded in determining into several theme journals. He was instrumental in the critical point in the solid isostructural transformation starting the new physics journal, Pramana, in 1973 of SmS. With NV Mani, Ramaseshan discovered the after countrywide consultations. This was followed by
19 starting of other journals in engineering sciences, successful and he was offered the job of a reader in materials science and astrophysics and astronomy. TIFR. In 1953, he joined the Atomic Energy The Academy revived the Journal of Genetics earlier Establishment, Trombay (now BARC) and was entrusted published by the JBS Haldane family. Editorial boards with the task of designing and building the control and were constituted for each of the journals headed by monitoring systems for Asia’s first nuclear reactor, Apsara. a chief editor. Commissioned in 1955, Apsara became critical on 4 August 1956 within 12 months of the start of the project. As general editor of publications, Ramaseshan helped formulate the publication policies of the Academy. The success in the field of reactor electronics further Formal refereeing procedures were introduced, printing continued with the installation of the control and safety and production standards improved, and efforts made system for the second, 40 MW heavy water-based reactor to increase journal circulation. Bringing out special Cirus and with design, fabrication, installation and publications of topical interest became a regular commissioning of the entire electronics system for a feature. Additional staff, better working environment, third research reactor, Zerlina and the radiation monitoring improving Academy finances and many other system for the plutonium plant at BARC. As part of the measures were all due to Ramaseshan’s personal programme for radiation protection in the country, Rao involvement. organised a nation-wide network of monitoring stations and laboratories for determining the levels of As other Fellows were able to slowly take over many of his responsibilities in the Academy, Ramaseshan environmental radioactive contamination resulting both began to involve himself in reorganizing Current from nuclear explosions and other radiation activities. Science. With considerable help from P Balaram, he The Health Physics, Electronics, and Reactor Control was able to transform the journal to what it is today. Divisions and the Directorate of Radiation Protection of BARC owe their inception and growth to his vision and Ramaseshan is the receipient of several awards: guidance. Bhatnagar award (1966), CV Raman award (1988) and centenary medal (1993), IISc Platinum Jubilee As the Director of Electronics Group at BARC, Rao award, Padma Bhushan, Vasvik award for materials initiated and carried through design, development and science (1980) and G N Modi award (1996). engineering programmes on a broad spectrum of electronic materials, professional grade electronic He leaves behind his wife Kausalya, and three components including semiconductors, industrial, nuclear, daughters, Arati, Sita, and Tara. medical and test electronic instruments, analog and digital computers and servo systems. He established a Ayyagari Sambasiva production facility to carry out pilot production of some Rao (elected 1974) of the components and systems for which there was a was born on 20 rapidly growing general demand in the country. September 1914 in a small village in Andhra Rao was in the Committee along with Homi Bhabha, Pradesh. He obtained Vikram Sarabhai and S Bhagavantam which prepared a his M.Sc in physics comprehensive report aimed at achieving self-reliance in electronics so as to put India on par with the developed from Banaras Hindu countries, modernise Indian industry through new University, where he technology and open up vast employment opportunities subsequently carried for Indian scientists and engineers. This resulted in the out research work as setting up of the Electronics Corporation of India in 1967. a faculty member for Rao served as its Managing Director until 1978. ECIL six years. In 1946, Rao was primarily set up to produce a variety of electronic was selected for the prestigious Tata scholarship to components and systems, which were developed at successfully pursue his Master’s degree in electrical BARC. engineering from Stanford University in US. On return, Rao was invited by Homi J Bhabha to help him in Rao was conferred many awards including the Padma conducting certain experiments on cosmic rays at Bhushan (1972) and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award TIFR, as similar experiments, conducted elsewhere, (1965). Rao passed away in Hyderabad on 31 October were not conclusive. His very first experiment was 2003.