AA NN NNRR UUEE AAPP LLOO RR TT 2016–20172016–2017 INDIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES BENGALURU Published by: Executive Secretary, Indian Academy of Sciences, C.V. Raman Avenue, Post Box No. 8005, Sadashivanagar P.O., Bengaluru 560 080 Phone (EPABX): 91-80-2266-1200 Fax: 91-80-2361-6094 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ias.ac.in Graphics & Design: Subhankar Biswas Cover portrait of MGK Menon: Gujjar 2 CONTENTS i. Foreword 4 1. Introduction 5 2. Overview 6 3. Council 8 4. Fellowship 10 5. Associates 22 6. Publications 26 7. Repository of Scientific Publications 38 of Academy Fellows 8. Discussion Meeting 39 9. Mid-Year Meeting 2016 40 10. Annual Meeting 2016 54 11. Public Lecture 68 12. Science Education Programmes 70 13. ‘Women in Science’ Panel Programmes 86 14. Hindi Workshop 90 15. Vigilance Awareness Week 91 16. National Science Day 2016 92 17. Academy Finances 94 18. Acknowledgements 96 19. Tables 97 20. Personnel 101 21. Statement of Finances 105 3 FOREWORD It gives me great pleasure The Academy introduced to present the 83rd Annual the online platform to Report of the Academy, solicit nominations for highlighting the activities Fellowship and e-balloting of the Academy during the for election. On the past year. publishing front, to strengthen the pace of publishing by While the details are given in the Report, immediate assignment of articles to issues I would particularly like to draw your upon online publication of an article, three attention to a few initiatives undertaken of our journals (Pramana, JoAA and JESS) this year. In an effort to expand by the have adopted the Continuous Article reach of the Summer Research Fellowship Publishing mode. We hope that in the Programme, the Inter Academy Panel on coming year, more of the journals will do Science Education has introduced a so. parallel Focus Area Science Technology Summer Fellowship (FAST-SF) that aims I look forward to renewed engagement to reach out in two ways. One is to regions with the Fellowship in furthering the aims where the Academy efforts need to be of the Academy and fulfilling its mandate, enhanced, and the other is to build up in the dissemination of science, in expertise in specific areas by having outreach and in science education. focused summer schools. In its first year, FAST-SF concentrated on the North- Eastern region of the country. In subsequent years the scope should RAM RAMASWAMY enlarge, and I hope that we will be able President, Indian Academy of Sciences to enable more students experience (15 September 2017) research in academic laboratories as well as in industrial R&D laboratories. 4 INTRODUCTION The Academy was founded in 1934 by Sir C V Raman with the main objective of promoting the progress and upholding the cause of science (both pure and applied). It was registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act on 27 April 1934. The Academy commenced functioning with 65 Fellows and the formal inauguration took place on 31 July 1934 at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. On the afternoon of that day, the first general meeting of Fellows was held during which Sir C V Raman was elected its President and the draft constitution of the Academy was approved and adopted. The first issue of the Academy Proceedings was published in July 1934. The present report covering the period from April 2016 to March 2017 represents the eighty-second year of the Academy. 5 OVERVIEW Promoting high-quality journals in order The number of journals currently to provide publication opportunities to published by the Academy is 11, covering Indian scientists at the international level all major disciplines in science and has been an obligation of the Academy technology. This includes the fortnightly since its inception. In addition, the multidisciplinary journal Current Science, Academy also publishes books, memoirs, published in collaboration with the proceedings and transactions in pure and Current Science Association. Besides applied sciences. The promotion of regular journals, special publications of original research and dissemination of topical interest are also frequently scientific knowledge, through its brought out. The Academy is now meetings, discussions, seminars, considered the single largest publisher of symposia and publications are the scientific journals in the country. paramount objectives of the Academy. During the publishing year 2016, the Through its Science Education Academy published 77 issues across all Programmes, the Academy recognizes the its 11 journals, and a total of 2758 refereed special relationship of scientific creative papers in 17670 pages were published. activity with the process of education and holds that the course of discovery includes 2. Election of Fellows and Associates: the identification and nurturing of The Academy annually confers scientific talent among the young. Fellowships and Honorary Fellowships to distinguished scientists of the country and A brief account on the progress and the world. As on 31 March 2017, the achievement of the Academy during number of Fellowship on roll was 1063 2016-17 is presented below. These and the number of Honorary Fellows was programmes and activities are presented 57. During the year 2016, 26 new Fellows in greater detail in the following sections and 2 Honorary Fellows were inducted of the report. into the Fellowship. 1. Publication of Scientific Journals: The Associateship programme was The publication programme is introduced in 1983 to identify and characterized by the basic philosophy that encourage promising young scientists. no journal published by the Academy will The Associateship is tenable for a be in competition with the other similar maximum period of five years until the ones published in the country, that the age of 35, or a minimum period of three Academy will co-operate with other years. During this year, 17 new Associates agencies in bringing out its journals. All were selected. Academy journals follow a robust peer- review system. 6 3. Organizing Scientific Meetings: The attempts to improve the state of science Academy annually holds scientific education and teaching in the country. meetings, symposia, public lectures in Both the Indian National Science order to provide a means for the exchange Academy, New Delhi, and the National of scientific knowledge among scientists Academy of Sciences, Allahabad, have and to bring new knowledge to the joined this Academy since April 2007 in attention of the whole scientific running these programmes. The community. The 27th midyear meeting programmes are (a) Summer Fellowships: was organized during 1-2 July 2016 at (b) Participation of teachers in meetings, the Indian Institute of Science and the (c) Refresher courses for teachers and (d) 82nd Annual meeting at IISER Bhopal Lecture workshops for students/teachers. during 4-6 November 2016. Discussion These activities are governed by the joint meetings were also held. Academies’ Science Education Panel. 4. Academy Fellows’ Repository: During the year, 2004 fellowships were Through this initiative, 95,317 metadata offered, of which 1482 were availed in six of important researches in the all disciplines. During the year, with a view branches of science carried out by Fellows to provide inclusive opportunity to the of Academy has been created. During the students and teachers of North-Eastern year, 2425 new records were added. Of region of the country, the Academy these, 257 have been full text. The total implemented Focus Area Science & number of records with full text at the Technology Summer Research end of the period 2016-17 was 21,145 out Fellowship (FAST-SF) programme; under of 95,317 total records. this initiative, 92 students and teachers availed the fellowship. During this year, 5. Raman Chair: The Raman Chair was 24 Refresher Courses were held in instituted in 1972 by the Department of Experimental Physics and other subjects Science & Technology, Government of of science. The number of Lecture India, to commemorate the memory of Workshops held was 122 in different parts the founder of the Academy, Sir C V of the country. Raman. Eminent scientists are invited to occupy the Chair, for periods between six 7. Women in Science (WiS) panel weeks and six months. Last year, T.J. activities: Some of the major initiatives Pedley, University of Cambridge visited undertaken by the Panel include: (a) Role India as the Raman Chair Professor. Model Programme: Seminars aimed at During his second visit in November inspiring and motivating young women 2016, Pedley visited many scientific to take up a career in science. (b) institutions for collaboration and Lilavathi’s Daughters: The Women Scientists delivered lectures at colleges in different of India: Published by the Academy, this parts of the country. volume is a collection of autobiographical essays of about 100 women scientists 6. Science Education Programme: from India. (c) Women in Science: A Besides the publication of the science Career in Science: A series of lecture education monthly Resonance, four main workshops on this theme were organized. activities are implemented towards 7 COUNCIL There were two statutory meetings of the Council on 2 July and 3–4 December 2016. Since January 2016, the Council with Prof. R Ramaswamy as the President has been in office. The members of the Council for the period 2016 to 2018 are: Prof. R. Ramaswamy (President) Prof. R. Ramaswamy Prof. Dipankar Chatterji (Previous President) President Prof. K. L. Sebastian (Vice-President) Prof. Arun K. Grover (Vice-President) Prof. K. N. Ganesh (Vice-President) Prof. Manindra Agrawal (Vice-President) Prof. R. Varadarajan (Treasurer) Prof. Uday Maitra (Secretary) Prof. Umesh V. Waghmare (Secretary) Prof. Sunil Bajpai Prof. Sudha Bhattacharya Prof. Dipankar Chatterji Prof. Deepak Dhar Previous President Dr. Madhu Dikshit Prof. Chanda J. Jog Prof. Lalit Kumar Dr. Ashish Lele Prof. Partha P. Majumder Prof. K. H. Paranjape Prof. R. Ramesh Prof.