Annual Report 2019 – 2020 a Nnual R Eport 2019 - 2020
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N ATIONAL I NSTITUTE OF A DVANCED S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES TUDIES Bengaluru, India ANNUAL REPORT 2019 – 2020 A NNUAL R EPORT 2019 - 2020 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bengaluru - 560 012 Tel: 080 2218 5000, Fax: 2218 5028 E-mail: [email protected] NIAS/U/AR/12/2020 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES Bengaluru, India ANNUAL REPORT 2019 - 2020 JRD Tata Founding Chairman The Vision and Mission of NIAS To integrate the findings of scholarship in the natural and social sciences with technology and the arts through multi-disciplinary research on the complex issues that face Indian and global society. To assist in the creation of new leadership with broad horizons in all sectors of society by disseminating the conclusions of such research through appropriate publications and courses as well as dialogues with leaders and the public. From Director’s Desk 5 Council of Management and Society 8 Academic Council 9 Acknowledgement 10 Obituaries 11 Executive Summary 14 School of Conflict and Security Studies 18 Conflict Resolution and Peace Research 20 Science Diplomacy Programme 23 International Strategic and Security Studies Programme 26 School of Humanities 30 Consciousness Studies Programme 32 Heritage, Science and Society Programme 37 School of Natural Sciences and Engineering 40 Interdisciplinary Forays into Human-Environment Interactions: 42 Animal Behaviour and Cognition Programme 44 Complex Systems Programme 47 Energy and Environment Programme 49 Science Communication Programme 53 School of Social Sciences 56 Education Programme 58 Inequality and Human Development Programme 61 Urban and Mobility Studies Programme 64 Inter-School Projects 67 Policy Brief 68 Training Programmes 69 Doctoral Programme 77 Annual Memorial Lectures 83 Public Programmes 85 Wednesday Discussion Meetings 90 Associates’ Programme 93 Literary, Arts and Heritage Forum 94 Library 95 Professors Emeritus 96 Chair Professors 97 Faculty Members 106 Administration 155 Financial Reports 160 Research Programmes and Projects 165 Staff 168 Adjunct Professors and Faculty 170 Publications 171 List of Committees 185 Details of Memorandum of Understanding 187 Report on Council of Management 189 Report on Academic Council 190 CONTENTS FROM DIRECTOR'S DESK The National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) has made steady progress during 2019-20 and had addressed many societal issues and made policy interventions. Prof BV Sreekantan, who had conceptualised and established the Consciousness Studies Programme and Prof S Settar, a renowned historian, both legends in their own fields, passed away. We, at NIAS, will always cherish their memories. The projects on Inequality and Human Development; Education; Heritage, Science and Society; supported by the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), have been successfully completed. The study on Inequality and the Demand for Non-Farm Occupations pointed out that in the process of industrialisation, labour workers, mainly dependent on agriculture, from north and east of India have migrated to industrial south and west of India. They earned in cities but continued to maintain their households in villages. Such a situation leads to uncertainty of availability of labour during crisis as being witnessed at present. It was also pointed out that the main factor of farmers’ suicides is not poverty. The pressure for farmers to move out of an unviable agriculture and at the same time unavailability of non-farm jobs forced them to take loans for various social demands. As the pressures of unpaid debts mounted on them, it led to suicides in some cases. Dr Ashok Lahiri, Member, 15th Finance Commission, had released reports on these projects related to Inequality and Human Development. In the field of Education, the review of Ashram schools in Maharashtra resulted in the efforts to revisit the state’s norms to govern Ashram schools. Life histories of 130 women scientists were traced and diversity among them was understood. Another study resulted in a comprehensive assessment of the vocational and technical education in India. It was found that vocational education in schools can be a key conduit through which skilling and employment opportunity of youth could be plugged in. The study on Metal Crafts has documented selected metal crafts which has distinctive cultural and technological significance. These included the copper image casting and icon making tradition of Swamimalai in Thanjavur district, the rare bell and lamp making traditions of Nacharkoil, the Swami-plate making tradition which dates back to Thanjavur Maratha period, the bronze mirror making tradition of Aranmula in Kerala, rare and skilled blacksmithing practices of Karuman, and fading memories of the Kammara blacksmiths of the making of the legendary wootz steel. The Urban and Mobility Studies Programme examined the linkages between migration, skilling, livelihoods and social mobility among construction and low-end service sector workers in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The socio-economic transformations set in motion by the building of a new capital city, Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh were studied. 5 An interdisciplinary project to study human-environment interactions is nearing completion. The effects of open cast coal mining and thermal power stations in Ramagundam area in Telangana are being studied and modelled. The Energy and Environment Programme has clearly come out with policy insight related to Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) technology. Based on analysis of 100 thermal power plants, it was recommended that FGD technology should be used in exceptional cases only. As there is surplus power generation capacity, the old plants less than 500 MW in South India should be closed down instead of fitting with FGD technology. The recommendation made after detailed discussions with all stakeholders under chairmanship of Dr Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog. The Animal Behaviour and Cognition Programme has conducted on the demography, behavioural ecology and management of primates, elephants and fish in peninsular India and drivers of human primate conflict. The study on Asian elephants traced life history of elephants and helped in managing human-elephant interactions. Low-cost mitigation strategies have been identified to protect crops from crop-raiding monkeys. The procedure for raising population of Deccan mahseer in lab conditions has been developed. The Complex Systems Programme has focussed on modelling effects of coal mining and climate change impact on ecosystems (terrestrial and marine). Models have been developed to explain post-1985 regime shift in sardine and mackerel populations along the Indian coast and prediction of increase in jellyfish numbers due to climate change. Under Science Communication Programme, a survey of public perceptions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact was carried out. A new tool ‘Toon Logs’ combining cartoons and Blogs has been developed to communicate scientific and technological issues. Under Consciousness Studies Programme, the concepts of consciousness and self-reflection in the context of related epistemological and ontological structures in Kashmir Saivism have been developed. A new algorithm – Compression-Complexity-Causality (CCC) to identify causal relationships between time series was invented, measuring consciousness and sustainability research. The study on Space Weapon Systems looked at Indian systems and technology requirements and prepared a detailed report for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). A study on need for Space Security for India for safety and security of our strategic space assets and India’s Space Situational Awareness Requirements has been conceptualised. The new programme on Science Diplomacy have started addressing issues related to Science and Diplomacy in the Arctic, the Himalayan Science Council, the Ocean Commons and Blue Economy, and India’s Science and Diplomacy in the Outer Space. Focus is also on leveraging Science Diplomacy in South Asia and multilateral organisations such as BRICS, BIMSTEC, etc. The Conflict Resolution and Peace Research Programme is a new programme focusing on understanding internal conflicts in India (the Maoist conflict, religious radicalisation, conflicts in north-eastern Indian states, and Indian political processes) and causes, courses and consequences of radicalisation across the world. A major research study on Balochistan, focusing on contemporary trends and fault lines has been completed. Two interschool projects on ‘Early Fusion Music’ and ‘The Non-human in Indian Sculpture’ have been undertaken. In Early Fusion Music project, the realm of music, cultural exchanges within India during colonel period is being examined. The history of depicting elephants and primates in sculpture during (n) 2000 years is being studied. The Doctoral Programme made phenomenal progress, eleven students got their degree this year. Fifty-nine students are pursuing their studies employing multi-disciplinary approaches. Currently Mysore University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and University of Trans-disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU) are offering degrees. The Defense Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) and NIAS has agreed to jointly supervise doctoral students leading to a degree. 6 Total seven Training Courses were organised including Senior Executives Course, Space and Foreign Policy and five courses supported by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India on themes related