Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Call to create awareness on n-science

GITAM University president M.V.V.S. Murthi accompanying Chairman of BRNS P. Rama Rao and Director of RC and I Group of BARC V. Venugopal to the venue of the five-day biennial symposium on nuclear and radiochemistry at GITAM University in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. GITAM University Vice-Chancellor G. Subramanyam is also seen.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Nuclear science and technology should be promoted and awareness created among people about radiation and the usefulness of nuclear power, Chairman of the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS) of Department of Atomic Energy P. Rama Rao said here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating a five-day biennial symposium on nuclear and radiochemistry (NUCAR 2011) at GITAM University, he stressed the need for trained and efficient human resources for making country's nuclear programmes successful. “India's nuclear programmes are self-sufficient and our scientists are capable of handling challenges,” Prof. Rama Rao said.

While talking about research activity, Prof. Rama Rao said that BRNS was continuously supporting research programmes of various universities and institutions through its various schemes.

The top DAE official had a word of praise for Indian universities, particularly deemed universities, who have the benefit of autonomy, and advised them to take reputed US universities as benchmark to improve their quality. He appreciated GITAM University for achieving “A” status among other universities.

Prof. Rama Rao hoped that the upcoming Bhabha Atomic Research Centre's unit in Visakhapatnam would be a suitable place to train the required manpower in the nuclear sector.

BARC's Director (Radio Chemistry and Isotope Group) V. Venugopal said that India had a flourishing and largely indigenous nuclear power programme and large-scale programmes were needed to achieve the 20,000 MWe nuclear capacity by 2020 and 40,000 MWe by 2032.

A global centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership was being established in New Delhi to strengthen the country's cooperation with the international community in the areas of advanced nuclear energy systems, Prof. Venugopal said. Nutrino Observatory was being established near Madurai to strengthen the nuclear physics research activities.

GITAM University president M.V.V.S. Murthi lamented that students were preferring IT and other courses to basic sciences. To make youngsters join science courses, incentives must be provided, he suggested.

GITAM University Vice-Chancellor G. Subramanyam briefed about the university teaching and research activities. It was interested to offer nuclear technology programs with the guidance of DAE and other organisations, he said.

Awards presented

Institute of Science Principal N. Lakhsmana Das, symposium's organising committee convener R.M. Sawant, secretary S.K. Sali, IANCAS General Secretary A.V.R. Reddy, GITAM UGC affairs director Ramakrishna and others participated in the inaugural session.

Life-time achievement awards were presented to noted scientists. Former Head of Radio Chemistry Division of BARC R.H. Iyer received the Dr. M.V. Ramaiah award and a scientist of power chemistry at BARC S.V. Narasimhan was presented with the Dr. K.S. Venkateshwarlu award.

The organising committee also felicitated wife of late Dr. Venkateshwarlu who had instituted the award.

Dr. Murthi felicitated Prof. Rama Rao, who was recently selected for the Padma Vibhushan, and Prof. Venugopal.

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