Sunday, December 07, 2008
Establishment of IISc includes J N Tata & Mother of K R Wadiyar Four and inspiration of Swami Vivekananda
PORTALS OF EMINENCE
P Balaram Director IISc
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived as a ‘research institute’ or ‘University of Research’ by Ja m s e t j i Nusserwanji Tata, in the twilight years of the 19th century. A long period of almost 13 years was to elapse from the initial conception in 1896, to the birth of the institute on May 27, 1909. The early history of the institute is a fascinating chapter in the story of higher education and scientific research in India. The cast of characters in the drama that led to the establishment of the Institute includes, in addition to its charismatic and generous founder J N Tata, figures from the pages of Indian history. There is Swami Vivekananda, whom J N Tata befriended on his famous voyage to the United States, the Maharaja of Mysore, Shri Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and his mother, then acting on his behalf, and Lord Curzon the Viceroy of India, whose first task on arrival on December 31, 1898, was to receive a draft proposal prepared by the Provisional Committee set up to plan the establishment of the Institute. The plan was shepherded through many difficult years by Burjorji Padshah, a close associate of J N Tata. Unfortunately, J N Tata died in 1904, unaware that his vision would indeed be realized a few years later. When the British government finally issued the Vesting Order in 1909, an unmatched experiment in higher education and research was launched in India. IISc is the first example of a public-private partnership in this country; an institution, whose evolution over a century is testimony to its robust foundations. The Institute occupies nearly 400 acres of prime land in Bangalore, generously donated by the Maharaja of Mysore in March 1907. The contribution from the princely state of Mysore was the decisive element in determining the location of J N Tata’s proposed institution. Remarkably, in a gesture unmatched in the annals of private philanthropy in India, Tata did not wish his name to be associated with the Institute. His dream was to create an institution that would contribute to the development of India. The name, Indian Institute of Science, which was finally chosen, reflects in every way the wishes of J N Tata. Visitors to Bangalore who seek out IISc still have to ask local residents for directions to the ‘Tata Institute’ — recognition that Jamsetji Tata’s act of generosity has remained undimmed in public memory. The Institute began with only two departments: general and applied chemistry and electro-technology. The first director, Morris W Travers, began the task of organizing the Institute shortly after his arrival in India at the end of 1906. Travers began the construction of the main building, which is one of Bangalore’s landmarks today. The departments of organic chemistry and biochemistry together with the library, were among the earliest to be established. The physics department came into being in 1933, when C V Raman became the first Indian director of the Institute. In the century that has passed, IISc has grown to become India’s premier centre for research and post-graduate education in science and engineering. Its evolution over the past 100 years has mirrored the development of science and technology in India. A long history, a strong tradition of academic research and an ambience that favours scholarly activity have been important elements in making the Institute a most attractive place for students and faculty. As the Institute has grown, several new areas of research have been established, many of them for the first time in India. The Institute’s departments in fields ranging from biochemistry to aerospace engineering have served to nucleate research and development in both the public and private sectors. The faculty and alumni have been responsible for establishing and spearheading many new institutions and programmes in the country, reflecting a major contribution of this centre of learning to national growth. Homi Bhabha conceived the idea of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and an Atomic Energy Programme, while working in the department of physics. Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India’s space programme, was an alumnus. Following his premature death, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was built by the farsighted leadership of Satish Dhawan, who simultaneously held the position of the director of the Institute with the greatest distinction. The first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Kharagpur was established by J C Ghosh, who was director of IISc in the critical period 1939-48, during which much of the activity in engineering was initiated. Many of India’s most distinguished scientists have been associated with the Institute as students or faculty. Notable among them are G N Ramachandran, Harish Chandra, S Ramaseshan, Brsahm Prakash, A Ramachandran, C N R Rao and R Narasimha. Alumni of the Institute head many major organizations in India and abroad. The Institute offers a variety of Master’s degree programmes in engineering, an integrated (post-BSc) programme in sciences and PhD programmes in a wide spectrum of disciplines in science and engineering. Research laboratories are wellequipped, and many national facilities are housed here. The library and computational facilities at the Institute are amongst the best in India. A major programme for modernizing laboratories is under way, catalyzed by a special grant provided by the government of India in 2006. The face of science and engineering research has been changing rapidly over the past few years. In approaching the second century of the Institute, many new activities have been initiated, notable among them are the inter-disciplinary PhD. programmes in mathematical sciences, chemical biology, earth system science, nanoscience and nanotechnology and nanoengineering for integrated systems. To live and work at the Institute is a special privilege. Anniversaries are an occasion for both celebration and introspection. In reflecting on the past, present and future of the Institute, in this centenary year, an exchange between Morris Travers, the first director, and Lord Willingdon, the then Viceroy, is worth recounting. Willingdon went around the Institute in June 1914 and said: “I had no idea that there was anything like this in India.” Travers responded: “There is nothing like it in India; and nothing better in Great Britain.” In ensuring that this sentiment is true, a great deal of work remains to be done. Meeting of MINDS The IISc Centenary Conference is being organized from Dec 13 to 16, 2008, to mark 100 illustrious years in science, technology and innovation. The conference will be marked by several important events focusing on the Institute’s contributions to fundamental and applied scientific research A ‘ROMANCE’ FOR JRD Jamsetji conceived three great schemes — university, hydro and steel projects — as necessary for India’s progress, and decided to make himself personally responsible for their implementation, hopefully within his own lifetime. Unfortunately, only around 10 years actually remained — he died in 1904. Fortunately, his two sons, particularly his eldest, Dorabji, undertook to pursue them, and successfully brought them to life by 1911. At Jamsetji’s own request, the new university was not to carry his name and it was simply called The Indian Institute of Science. The hydro-electric project was established in 1910 and the steel plant started functioning in 1911. “I felt for a long time that the romance and saga of the creation of these great schemes, and of the struggles he encountered in their formulation with such dignity and patience, was a story that needed to be told...” — J R D Tata in his foreword to the book In Pursuit of Excellence: A History of the Indian Institute of Science by B V Subbarayappa (The writer is director, IISc )
P Balaram Director IISc
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived as a ‘research institute’ or ‘University of Research’ by Ja m s e t j i Nusserwanji Tata, in the twilight years of the 19th century. A long period of almost 13 years was to elapse from the initial conception in 1896, to the birth of the institute on May 27, 1909. The early history of the institute is a fascinating chapter in the story of higher education and scientific research in India. The cast of characters in the drama that led to the establishment of the Institute includes, in addition to its charismatic and generous founder J N Tata, figures from the pages of Indian history. There is Swami Vivekananda, whom J N Tata befriended on his famous voyage to the United States, the Maharaja of Mysore, Shri Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and his mother, then acting on his behalf, and Lord Curzon the Viceroy of India, whose first task on arrival on December 31, 1898, was to receive a draft proposal prepared by the Provisional Committee set up to plan the establishment of the Institute. The plan was shepherded through many difficult years by Burjorji Padshah, a close associate of J N Tata. Unfortunately, J N Tata died in 1904, unaware that his vision would indeed be realized a few years later. When the British government finally issued the Vesting Order in 1909, an unmatched experiment in higher education and research was launched in India. IISc is the first example of a public-private partnership in this country; an institution, whose evolution over a century is testimony to its robust foundations. The Institute occupies nearly 400 acres of prime land in Bangalore, generously donated by the Maharaja of Mysore in March 1907. The contribution from the princely state of Mysore was the decisive element in determining the location of J N Tata’s proposed institution. Remarkably, in a gesture unmatched in the annals of private philanthropy in India, Tata did not wish his name to be associated with the Institute. His dream was to create an institution that would contribute to the development of India. The name, Indian Institute of Science, which was finally chosen, reflects in every way the wishes of J N Tata. Visitors to Bangalore who seek out IISc still have to ask local residents for directions to the ‘Tata Institute’ — recognition that Jamsetji Tata’s act of generosity has remained undimmed in public memory. The Institute began with only two departments: general and applied chemistry and electro-technology. The first director, Morris W Travers, began the task of organizing the Institute shortly after his arrival in India at the end of 1906. Travers began the construction of the main building, which is one of Bangalore’s landmarks today. The departments of organic chemistry and biochemistry together with the library, were among the earliest to be established. The physics department came into being in 1933, when C V Raman became the first Indian director of the Institute. In the century that has passed, IISc has grown to become India’s premier centre for research and post-graduate education in science and engineering. Its evolution over the past 100 years has mirrored the development of science and technology in India. A long history, a strong tradition of academic research and an ambience that favours scholarly activity have been important elements in making the Institute a most attractive place for students and faculty. As the Institute has grown, several new areas of research have been established, many of them for the first time in India. The Institute’s departments in fields ranging from biochemistry to aerospace engineering have served to nucleate research and development in both the public and private sectors. The faculty and alumni have been responsible for establishing and spearheading many new institutions and programmes in the country, reflecting a major contribution of this centre of learning to national growth. Homi Bhabha conceived the idea of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and an Atomic Energy Programme, while working in the department of physics. Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India’s space programme, was an alumnus. Following his premature death, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was built by the farsighted leadership of Satish Dhawan, who simultaneously held the position of the director of the Institute with the greatest distinction. The first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Kharagpur was established by J C Ghosh, who was director of IISc in the critical period 1939-48, during which much of the activity in engineering was initiated. Many of India’s most distinguished scientists have been associated with the Institute as students or faculty. Notable among them are G N Ramachandran, Harish Chandra, S Ramaseshan, Brsahm Prakash, A Ramachandran, C N R Rao and R Narasimha. Alumni of the Institute head many major organizations in India and abroad. The Institute offers a variety of Master’s degree programmes in engineering, an integrated (post-BSc) programme in sciences and PhD programmes in a wide spectrum of disciplines in science and engineering. Research laboratories are wellequipped, and many national facilities are housed here. The library and computational facilities at the Institute are amongst the best in India. A major programme for modernizing laboratories is under way, catalyzed by a special grant provided by the government of India in 2006. The face of science and engineering research has been changing rapidly over the past few years. In approaching the second century of the Institute, many new activities have been initiated, notable among them are the inter-disciplinary PhD. programmes in mathematical sciences, chemical biology, earth system science, nanoscience and nanotechnology and nanoengineering for integrated systems. To live and work at the Institute is a special privilege. Anniversaries are an occasion for both celebration and introspection. In reflecting on the past, present and future of the Institute, in this centenary year, an exchange between Morris Travers, the first director, and Lord Willingdon, the then Viceroy, is worth recounting. Willingdon went around the Institute in June 1914 and said: “I had no idea that there was anything like this in India.” Travers responded: “There is nothing like it in India; and nothing better in Great Britain.” In ensuring that this sentiment is true, a great deal of work remains to be done. Meeting of MINDS The IISc Centenary Conference is being organized from Dec 13 to 16, 2008, to mark 100 illustrious years in science, technology and innovation. The conference will be marked by several important events focusing on the Institute’s contributions to fundamental and applied scientific research A ‘ROMANCE’ FOR JRD Jamsetji conceived three great schemes — university, hydro and steel projects — as necessary for India’s progress, and decided to make himself personally responsible for their implementation, hopefully within his own lifetime. Unfortunately, only around 10 years actually remained — he died in 1904. Fortunately, his two sons, particularly his eldest, Dorabji, undertook to pursue them, and successfully brought them to life by 1911. At Jamsetji’s own request, the new university was not to carry his name and it was simply called The Indian Institute of Science. The hydro-electric project was established in 1910 and the steel plant started functioning in 1911. “I felt for a long time that the romance and saga of the creation of these great schemes, and of the struggles he encountered in their formulation with such dignity and patience, was a story that needed to be told...” — J R D Tata in his foreword to the book In Pursuit of Excellence: A History of the Indian Institute of Science by B V Subbarayappa (The writer is director, IISc )
Times of India Page Five 3rd December 2008
