The Hindu : Universities urged to help with research

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 28, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mangalore

Universities urged to help with research

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE, MARCH 27. The Microtron Centre of Mangalore University's Department of Physics added a neutron converter facility here on Saturday. Apart from the department, only the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has this facility. The university is now expected to become a centre for conducting production-based research.

The former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, M.R. Srinivasan, who commissioned the facility, regretted that universities, for various historical reasons, had not been included in advanced research programmes. The situation should change, he said and added that universities should supplement the efforts of the national laboratories. He, however, pointed out that universities lacked resources and infrastructure.

Universities should develop as "think tanks'' for development, Mr. Srinivasan said. They should tackle issues of significance to the common man, such as inter-linking of rivers, by subjecting them to an academic exercise through an inter-disciplinary approach. Society would gain immensely if it received feedback from universities, which would facilitate the decision-making process.

Lauding the initiative taken by the university to emerge as a leading centre for application of radiation physics, he said the Atomic Energy Department was keen on enhancing the number of scientists involved in research.

Universities and upcoming graduates could make themselves more useful to society by participating in research programmes.

Mr. Srinivasan stressed the need for universities to develop as centres of excellence, and called upon graduates to make the best use of facilities provided to them. He appreciated the efforts of the Head of the Microtron Centre and former Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University, K. Siddappa, in building the centre since its inception in 1995.

The former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, M.I. Savadatti, inaugurated a national workshop on "Neutron production using accelerators and applications'' and said research programmes were team efforts. The centre symbolised such efforts, he added.

Dr. Savadatti said it was necessary for researchers to pool their talent in an era of globalisation to produce marketable technology for the welfare of society.

The former Director, BARC, D.V. Gopinath, recalled that the Department of Atomic Energy had allotted the centre to the university without much paper work.

This gesture had helped Mangalore University to become a pioneer in the field of radiation physics, he said.

The Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, B. Hanumaiah, said the institution was first of its kind in the country to have electron, proton, and a neutron beam for application. This would help promote basic research in the university. He promised access to the centre to graduates and experts from other institutions. Dr. Gopinath released a special brochure on the Microtron Centre.

Prof. Siddappa gave a brief introduction on the research at the centre and an overview of the workshop and its purpose.

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