Dad's the spirit!

Though an ardent fan of his illustrious father, R.D. Burman held his own by giving us memorable hits. Remembering the musician on his 17th death anniversary today

R.D. Burman was rehearsing with Mohammad Rafi for the song 'Hum Bekhudi Mein', and he guided the singer to render the number in a way he felt was right. Apparently, after listening to the final composition, S.D. Burman was so annoyed that he admonished his son in public. A reflexive R.D. Burman immediately understood his lacunae, and followed his father's instruction, and the song, of course, went on to become a hit.

There are countless anecdotes of S.D. Burman and son R.D. Burman agreeing and disagreeing on compositions. The matchless singer and composer that he was, S.D. Burman wanted his son to be efficient like him. In fact, he'd sent R.D. Burman to learn Indian Classical music from Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and to Salil Chowdhury for the details of music arrangement.

R.D. Burman grew up surrounded by music. He strongly desired to become a singer and composer in the tradition of his illustrious father. A trained harmonica player, he played the instrument effectively for the numbers 'Hain Apna Dil' and 'Yaad Aa Gaye', composed by his father. When the bongo player was not able to do justice to the beats of the song 'Aye Meri Zindagi', R.D. Burman himself played it to his father's baton creating a haunting melody.

He arranged music for almost all his father's compositions till "Guide" and "Jewel Thief". When he ventured on his own to compose for "Teesri Manzil", he succeeded immensely. So happy was S.D. Burman that he told his son that people pointed to him as R.D. Burman's father when he was out on a regular morning walk at Bandra.

From the late 60s, father and son started working separately yet maintaining the best of relations. R.D. Burman helped with the background score of "Aradhana" singing 'Hey Hey' creating a mesmerising effect. He even helped his father by being around at the recording of 'Meet Na Mila' and 'Nadiya Kinare' as the latter was not keeping good health.

For a number of his own compositions such as 'Sharm Aati Hain Magar', 'Isi Liye Maine' and 'Raina Beet Ja', he received the best guidance of his father. It was believed that father and son were not exactly on talking terms after R.D. Burman composed for "Hare Rama Hare Krishna". It was a misconception. R.D. Burman wanted to follow his own line of creation he had mastered over the years. S.D. Burman never interfered, and gave his son the liberty to move on.

Father and son, along with Lata Mangeshkar, rendered the unforgettable number 'Raina Soi Soi' with the ideal blend of Naga folklore and Western beats. Though R.D. Burman was very effective, he was said to be pleased that his father outclassed him and the nightingale in sheer singing ability and delivery of lyrics musically.

A different effect

S.D. Burman created a musical effect in the song 'Pyase Do Badan' with saxophone, 12-string guitar and trombone, which spell-bound R.D. Burman, who agreed he could have never utilised Asha Bhonsle's voice so magically and sensuously. He's said to have listened to the song again and again to note the arrangement.

S.D. Burman and Salil Chowdhury apparently used to enjoy it whenever R.D. Burman declared Salil Chowdhury his musical guru, and not his father. Salil Chowdhury used to rebuke his student, and an apologetic R.D. Burman would look to his father for rescue, who would promptly bless his son and son's 'guru'.

No wonder on October 31, 1975, when S.D. Burman breathed his last, R.D. Burman called up Salil Chowdhury and cried he had lost the banyan tree under which he grew. Salil Chowdhury obviously had no words to console him. When R.D. Burman passed away on January 4, 17 years ago, Salil Chowdhury is said to have cried in anguish: "Regal music in Hindi films has come to an end. The contribution of the Burmans to Hindi film music is unique in their own dimensions, very difficult to touch."

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"It's a story of human triumph"

The story of mathematician genius Srinivasa Ramanujan is a story of human triumph and an example of what genius can accomplish against the odds, Robert Kanigel, Ramanjuan's biographer said on Monday.

Delivering a lecture hosted by the Organising Committee of Ramanujan 125, TNQ Books and Journals and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Mr. Kanigel said that while illuminating the genius of Ramanujan, "we should also momentarily hold the spotlight briefly" on the scores of people who did not make it due to adverse circumstances.

After giving a bare-bone account of the Ramanujan story, Mr. Kanigel who for his research visited India, which remains a jumble of mostly happy experiences and memories, and the beautiful but slightly forbidding Cambridge, took several questions from the audience.

Responding to a question on the everyday applicability of Ramanujan's theorems, Mr. Kanigel pointed out that Ramanujan's work was in pure mathematics and he took delight in exploring numbers without attaching any larger purpose.

Saying that he felt good when his book was translated into German, Italian or Greek, Mr. Kanigel also admitted to a certain sadness that it was not available yet in Tamil. His delight would know no end if "The Man Who Knew Infinity" were to be available in Ramanujan's own language, he said.

Offering his reasons for the title of the book, Mr. Kanigel said it defined though in a narrow sense the intimacy with which Ramanujan worked with numbers and theorems; it was as if "he knew infinity as his homeland."

Mr. Kanigel was amused by a suggestion to get Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci to make a film based on his biography and to a questioner, who wanted to know whether Ramanujan would have felt more comfortable and enjoyed greater creative freedom in the U.S. than in Cambridge, he said he would like to think that Ramanujan in the U.S. might have felt more at home and a little "less stiff."

When someone wanted to know whether working on the biography on Ramanujan had in any way changed him as a person, he remarked in a lighter vein that the impact would have been more on his wife when he got immersed in work.

N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, said Mr. Kanigel's biography on Ramanujan, which was first published in 1991 and has undergone several printings, was perhaps his best and most influential works.

Among the many features of this book was its perfectly legitimate practice of the art of narrative journalism, or the use of a novelistic imagination in bringing a story alive without ever crossing the line between fact and fiction, he said.

The biography counters the flatness of the picture of Ramanujan's origins and life in 19 century south India, locates him in everyday life, brings alive the emotional geography of family relationships and the imprint on a young man of the cultural ethos, religious values and rituals of the times.

Mariam Ram (TNQ Books and Journals) and Balasubramanian of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences also participated.

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Happy Birthday 'Jana Gana Mana'

'Jana Gana Mana', the country's national anthem penned by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, turned 100 on Tuesday as it was first sung on this day a century ago at the 1911 Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.

Written in highly Sanskritised Bengali in 1911 by one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, the song fired patriotism in every Indian during the Independence movement.

The song was adopted as the country's national anthem by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950.

The anthem was first performed on December 27, 1911 at the Indian National Congress session in Calcutta when the outfit was associated with the country's independence movement.

Rabindranath Tagore translated "Jana Gana Mana" from Bengali to English in 1911 and also set it to music in Madanapalle, a small town in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh.

After it was translated into English, Indian students took the song beyond the country's borders making it 'The Morning Song of India' and subsequently the national anthem.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army adopted Jana Gana Mana as the National Anthem, while Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi had in 1946 said the "the song has found a place in our national life."

The song was selected as the national anthem of India in 1950 after considerable debate overruled Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's popular Bengali song 'Vande Mataram' in the face of opposition from certain communities.

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Right to Recall is a must and it is possible also

Right to Recall is a must and it is possible also

By M.G.  Vaidya

    -The Election Commission is reported to have opposed one of the major points in the Electoral Reforms demand, viz Right to Recall the elected representative. The Chief Election Commissioner has said that "such a move would bring instability as the losers could start such a campaign from day one." He further pointed out that "this would also hamper development activities because of frequent elections and imposition of Model Code of Conduct." Senior BJP leader LK Advani too is reported to  have shared the Election Commission's view. I beg to differ from them.

    Many thinking people think that there is an urgent need to reform our prevalent electoral system. And one of the main points is the Right to Recall the elected candidate. Team Anna, too insists on this point. But Anna Hazare is not the initiator of this demand. If I remember correctly, the Sarvodaya people had made this demand quite a few years ago. I, too, in my weekly Marathi column published on September 4, 2011, had discussed the issue of electoral reforms and one of the points in that article is the right to recall (The complete article is available on www.mgvaidya.b logspot.com). It is reported that team Anna, which included Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kiran Bedi had called on the Chief Election Commissioner and discussed this point. A news item, as published in the media, says that the team has agreed to further examine this point of their demand. It can be inferred that the team Anna is not definite on its demand. I feel,  Anna Hazare and his team should be firm and not vacillate.

    I think this right is essential, and it is possible too. If a successful candidate is alleged to have employed fraudulent means and/or has committed breach of electoral rules, his election can be challenged. Number of election petitions are made, and if the elected person is found guilty, his election is annulled and a fresh election takes place. There is nothing extraordinary about this. Election Commission must have handled such re-election processes  a number of times. If an offender is punishable for offences during the election process, why not for offences after the election?

    I give two examples. One is of Shibu Soren, who along with his party members had taken bribe from the then Government, headed by PV Narasimha Rao. Did all those JMM MPs-so-called representatives of the people lose their membership of the Lok Sabha? The other example is more recent. In July 2008, quite a few MPs were bribed either to vote for the Government of Dr Manmohan Singh or abstain from voting feigning illness. The matter is sub-judice. What punishment, did those who accepted the bribe money get? They are all free and continue to represent the people. Should people not think of rejecting their representative character?

    My question is why should people suffer such representatives? Why should they not have a right to reject them, and elect new ones? I admit that the process of recalling will not be easy. But I have a workable suggestion. I elucidate :

    An aplication signed by at least 10 per cent of the total voters, who had cast their vote, in the election that had elected this unwanted person, should come to the Election Commission with a security of Rs 25,000. The EC will then arrange for a fresh election. But, this election will be done by a Special Electoral College (SEC). This Electoral College, in the case of a member of State Legislature, will consist of all members of the Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, Zilla Parishads and Municipal Committees, falling within the area of that Assembly constituency. It should be noted that all these members are elected representatives of the people. If desired, this SEC may have some representatives of the civil society in the form of all headmasters of recognised primary and secondary schools in that area. If the resolution recalling the elected person gets 60 per cent or more votes, his election shall be invalidate, and a fresh election will be declared. The process of this fresh election will be similer to any by-election caused by death, or resignation or disqualification of an elected person. For the purpose of this election by a SEC, promulgation of the moral code shall not be necessary. In the by-election that will follow, the recalled member shall be debarred from contesting it.

    In the matter of a MP the membership of the SEC may be changed. Instead of all members of the village Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and ZPs, only the Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall have a voting right. But all members of the Municipal Committees and all Councillors in the Corporations in that area will have the voting right. To add representation of the civil society, all Principals of recognised colleges and all Readers and Professors at the Univercity level, residing in that constituency may be included. If the resolution for recalling the elected member fails to get 60 per cent but gets 40 per cent or more votes, the security deposit shall be refunded. If it gets less than 40 per cent the security deposit will be forfeited. This will serve as a check on frivolous applications.

    I don't claim that my proposal is final or exhaustive. It can be rejected in toto or amended. What I am interested in, is some serious debate on this issue.

    (The writer is former Chief Editor of  Marathi daily Tarun Bharat, Nagpur)
Source: Organiser - Weekly      Date: 12/10/2011 9:51:47 PM

SPECIAL INTERVIEW OF MR NITIN GADKARI - It is not for the BJP to help Congress run the government

SPECIAL INTERVIEW

It is not for the BJP to help Congress  run the government

    -BJP is the answer. Congress graph is sinking because of its dubious record. We feel sorry that the Congress ruined the big gains the NDA made during its tenure.

    Erudite, dynamic and youthful BJP president  Shri Nitin Gadkari has an uphill task, to reform, reinvent, restate and revive the classic BJP moorings that transformed the party from a bit player to the main party of India in the last two decades. The present national scene where the people have revolted against the super class culture of the Indian political class, Gadkari, emphasising the core values of his organisation, insists that politics cannot be a means to make money. Corrupt people who have taken to politics to make money should look for their activity elsewhere, not in BJP. The uplift of the last person, in the social strata, Antyodaya, is the BJP's goal and the party unlike the Congress is pro-poor in its approach.

    Presenting the correct image of the BJP is the leader's immediate priority. In this context, he argues, it is for the Congress to run the government. "It is not our job to help it run government. The Congress because of the huge scandals and governance paralysis is a sinking ship. The BJP is the only, and certainly a better alternative", he says. Excerpts from an exclusive interview by the Organiser Editor Dr R Balasankar.

    Traditionally, the BJP had an image of being pro-poor, and a party of the commoner. Of late however this image has been dented and an elitist image has come to stick. Is the party doing something to retrieve its original image or planning to carry on with the new impression?

    The BJP is a pro-poor party. Our main constituents consist of people from weaker sections and common man. We can never become a party of the rich and elite. We stand for social change, we want the emancipation of the people in the lowest strata of the society. Our candidates belonging to the SC, ST and OBC get elected in large numbers. So naturally we reflect the concerns of these sections.

    It is also necessary to consider the difference between the image and reality. Unfortunately, there is a deliberate attempt to paint the BJP pro-rich, pro-US, etc. We stand for a strong, prosperous, self-reliant India. Today the condition of our poor people is so bad that there is an urgent need to ameliorate and improve it. The farmers, villages and poor feel neglected because of the elitist Congress approach. We are fighting and exposing it. We will not allow the exploitation of our farmers to benefit the multinational companies.

    What is your idea of politics in the context of globalisation?

    For us politics is a mission for societal renewal.A large number of people in states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, have benefitted through the party's good governance projects such as Antyodaya Mela and Poverty Eradication campaigns at the district level. Our country has to attain a growth level of 12 per cent and our agriculture sector has to grow double digit to attain all round prosperity and employment generation. The UPA in the last seven years has failed us in all this respect.

    The economic targets achieved by the Vajpayee government were excellent. The high growth rate in the initial stages of the UPA government were the result of the good work done by the NDA.

    Why is it that the economy is declining at every sector under Manmohan Singh and you have not so far made a comparative study of this aspect?

    The most striking aspect is that the UPA under Dr Manmohan Singh has totally mismanaged the economy. Inflation is in double digit, Food prices are skyrocketing, interest rates are high which makes investment costlier, production is low, infrastructure is in poor shape and now the rupee is falling steadily and growth is derailed. The agriculture sector is in a crisis leading to suicides  by farmers. In all this the government is looking helpless. There is practically a holiday in governance in the last seven years. The government initially reaped the benefit of the investment and infrastructure initiatives of the Vajpayee government.Now people have realised the difference, how inflation, interest rates, prices of essential items were low and investment, production and governance were high under the Vajpayee government. Now there is scarcity in the energy sector, capital is flying away, FDI is the lowest ever, stock market has crashed. Under our government every sector of the economy was booming.

    Is it the outcome of a policy mismatch or lack of initiative?

    It is both. Take our service sector. A growing sector under NDA. A big foreign exchange earner. Now it is in crisis. BPOs are relocating from India. Tourism is a major area of growth. It can generate huge employment potential. But that is also in doldrums. Today, because of the lack of storage facility, foodgrains worth Rs 58,000 crore is getting wasted.Why is not the government making sufficient number of storage facilities  at the district and village level. The irrigation projects are not getting completed for lack of funds at the State level. The Centre should bear fifty per cent of the burden of irrigation projects with the states.

    The UPA claims that it is for better storage, transportation and investment in the farm sector that the retail FDI is being allowed?

    That is a façade. These are things we have to do. With our money. No foreign retailer is going to build our farm infrastructure. We are totally opposed to FDI in retail sector. It will destroy our agriculture. We cannot allow it.

    Your campaign against corruption has exposed the UPA. But there are problems within your party. How will you tackle  them?

    Was there any serious allegation against Shri Yeddyurappa? Now the Lokayukta has indicted S M Krishna and Kumaraswamy . Has the Congress removed Krishna?There are no allegations against Shivraj Singh Chauhan , Narendra Modi or Arjun Munda. Our governments are rated better than all Congress governments by all parameters.

    Whenever there is a complaint against any of our government, we have immediately taken action. There is no place for corrupt people in our organisation. In Karnataka, for instance, we have our own views regarding the Lokayukta report. But we have acted on it and the Chief Minister was replaced. Compare this against the Congress response. The Congress at every stage has tried to protect its corrupt people.  P Chidambaram is equally guilty as Raja. The Congress took action  against Raja because of the court intervention and pressure from us. Sheila Dikshit and her ministers are indicted by various inquiry committees and the Lokayukta. Similar charges are there against the Congress governments in Goa and Rajasthan. But no action is taken. We have an uncompromising stand on corruption. We will fight it at all levels. Legislative or parliamentary seat or chief ministership or ministership cannot be a means to make money. Those who want to do politics through corrupt means are not welcome here.

    How will you ensure that the BJP keeps itself off corrupt people when politics itself has come to be regarded as business by another name?

    Politics cannot be a means to make money. If anybody in the party thinks like that they should leave the party. I want to make it very clear that we will not allow such contamination. Those who want to make money should choose some other profession like, industry, trade, agriculture and do it properly and honestly.The regeneration and rebuilding of our country is our goal. Governments will come and go. That cannot be the sole priority of a political party.

    Are you taking any step to implement such screening to cleanse the system?

    This is a continuous process. We educate our cadre to take up constructive work at the village level. NGO activities are encouraged. On Atalji's birthday  i.e. December 25, we are observing countrywide 'Good Governance Day'. Our NDA government at the Centre was one of the best in  history. There was all round progress, there was no suicides due to poverty, lots of jobs were generated. Atali is the icon of good governance. There was no corruption charge levelled against our government.There was big progress. We want to take the country towards progress. Our workers at all levels will take a pledge to this effect. We can only provide a direction but the vision has also to develop.We conduct training camps, leadership promotion camps, etc to motivate our cadre.

    So what is the vision of your party?

    Our slogan is good governance and development. Antyodaya, the economic philosophy of Deendayalji is our economic agenda. Nationalism is our inspiration. The country comes first, then the party and the individual only in the end. Our greatest strength is our worker who is totally dedicated to the nation. What is important for us is not to come to power but to change the condition of our poor people, the future of the country. This is our dream and we will always work for this.

    You are entering the third year of your presidency. In the last two years how have you shaped the BJP as a main Opposition, and a cadre based mass party and what direction have you given?

    BJP is in a better position today. Ours is a democratic party. We have developed a system of working as a team. I have largely succeeded in this. Our acivities have increased. Both within and outside we have played an active role. Today the Centre is in big trouble because of our continuous agitation. In Bihar we have swept the polls. In Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh, in all bypolls we registered good success. On the whole the party has projected a strong, united picture. Today there is greater trust, in the cadre and people have great faith about us. The Congress is on the backfoot because of black money, corruption in 2G Scam, CWG and price rise. We have highlighted all this in the public. There is tremendous enthusiasm in the cadre because of all this. We have during this period, trained 30,000 workers for party work. We have computerised the entire working of the party offices and we are preparing now a vision document. We are sure that party will make big inroads in the coming months and in the coming Lok Sabha poll in 2014, form the next government at the Centre.

    What is your prospect in the coming State Assembly elections next year, particularly in Uttar Pradesh?

    I think we are in a position to make big gains in UP. The party is more united there now than ever. We are not a party of dynasty where one individual owns the party and others are all employees. We all  are equal workers of the party. We are doing well and our campaign has begun.

    Some newspapers  reported that the BJP will have some adjustments with the SP or BSP after the polls to form government in UP?

    Certainly not. The question does not arise. We will not compromise with Mayawati or Mulayam Singh and repeat the mistakes of the past. This is a big canard deliberately being spread to discredit us. We are the real alternative there. People have seen the misrule, lawlessness and corruption under the two parties. Congress is trying to create this confusion to make itself relevant in the State. This is a ploy of Rahul Gandhi's media managers to spread this rumour. It is difficult for Congress to even cross double digit. People won't allow the return of Mulayam's 'goonda raj'. People supported Mayawati last time impressed by her promise to put Mulayam Singh behind bars. But she could not do that and it has exposed her. Mayawati has crossed all limits of corruption. We are the only alternative. Congress is not in a position even to show its face after the humongous scandals it has perpetrated in the country.

    Is there some confusion in UP poll scene because the BJP has not declared its chief minister candidate?

    The chief minister will be decided by the elected legislators of the party.

    What is the confusion about the status of Uma Bharati in UP. There was report that she will be contesting election from UP. Is it true that some UP leaders are not happy with the development?

    There is nothing of the sort. Umaji is a senior BJP leader and  not a provincial leader. She has a respectable image in the whole country. She hails from a place  adjacent to UP and because of that she is equally popular in the State also. Her entry has enthused the cadre. She is not contesting to become chief minister. Reality is that the party is fighting under the collective leadership of Rajnath Singh, Kalraj Mishra, Uma Bharati and Suryapratap Sahi.

    Has the induction of Sanjay Joshi into the party and his active role in UP helped the party in UP?

    Yes. His return has helped tremendously. Sanjayji and Umaji together have made a big difference for the party and improved our position. Because of this we will get a big boost in the State and the results wll be very positive.

    Do you expect a midterm poll because of the contradictions in the UPA?

    People have elected the Congress for five years. So it is for them to run the goverment. It is not our job to help them run the government. Because of its own mistakes Congress is steadily sinking. So people are talking of midterm poll. But we will not force an election . We have not made any such effort. But we are prepared to fight the poll anytime it comes.

    What is BJP's prospect in the next election?

    As of now the BJP and its allies are ruling 36 per cent of the population. The UPA states are limited to only 32 per cent of the population. Wherever our governments are in power, they are working better and are more popular. We think we are a better alternative and the people have accepted the fact.
Source: Organiser - Weekly      Date: 12/11/2011

Many, many leagues under the sea

B.S. Warrier

 

The sea remains an enigma, despite its wide uses in transport, fishing, and even exploration of energy. Its mysteries can be unravelled through research, as also expeditions and experiments.

About 70 per cent of the Earth's surface is covered by the ocean and it has held immense fascination for man. The National Institute of Oceanography is a premier research organisation studying land-sea interaction and the benefits the waters hide in their depths.

We have serious concern about the depletion of natural resources available on land. The day may not be far off when our eyes will focus more seriously on the treasures in the oceans. Even today our lives are intertwined with the oceans. The studies on oceans gain more and more importance, as we go forward.

Oceanography is the science of the sea. It deals with the physical, chemical, biological, and geological aspects of oceans. Exploration and exploitation of resources are a part of oceanography. In certain contexts, the terms oceanology or marine science are used synonymously.

Since we get food from the ocean, we are interested in the sea, just as the farmer is interested in the field. We use the oceans for transport. The merchant navy has a vital part to play in national and international trade. We use the ocean for recreation, such as swimming, diving, and boating.

We are concerned about the waves, winds, ocean currents, and temperature changes. The weather, wind, and rainfall on land are dependent on the oceans. We know how the coastal climate differs from the continental climate. Storms, hurricanes, typhoons, tsunami, and even droughts depend on the influence of the oceans. The study of the oceans is a great voyage of discovery.

For the sake of convenience, oceanography is usually divided into different segments.

Physical oceanography: Study of the motions of seawater, particularly waves, currents, and tides. Some of the topics studied are the following. Temperature, salinity and density; influence of the physical state of the oceans on the Earth's climate; ocean warming slowing of ocean circulation; Anthropogenic and biologically active tracers; air-Sea interaction; turbulent and radiative heat {fllig}uxes through the sea surface; phase changes of water; wind-driven circulation in the upper ocean; conservation equations; and transport processes of ocean circulation.

Chemical oceanography (marine chemistry): It is concerned with the study of the dissolved elements in seawater and the chemical and biochemical cycles in the sea. Topics of study include the chemistry of seawater; reactions between the atmosphere and hydrosphere; the origin and evolution of seawater; the origin of the sediment that covers the seafloor; water and sediment sampling; relationships among chemical constituents of seawater; and the influence of changes in geology; and biological activity.

Man-made pollution in the form of dumping of sewage, oil, fuel, agricultural chemicals, and industrial exhaust into the oceans decreases sea-water quality, particularly along the coast. Problems such as the toxic effect of human consumption of mercury-laden fish come under the domain of chemical oceanography. We have to analyse the influence of changes in seawater temperature on global weather. El Nino is a case in point. It is a shift in ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions in the tropical Pacific that disrupts weather around the world.

Chemical oceanography may have to be subdivided for the sake of convenient study. For instance, marine chemistry is concerned with the composition of seawater. Marine geochemistry is the chemistry of the precipitated rocks and sediment found on the ocean floor. Marine biogeochemistry studies the role of organisms, especially microorganisms in the alteration or formation of geological features in the oceans.

Biological oceanography (marine biology): Study of life in the oceans, includes marine biology and ecology. It deals with the study of the plants and animals of the oceans and their ecological interaction.

Geological Oceanography: Study of the shape and geologic features of the ocean floor.

NIO

The premier research institution in the field of oceanography in India is the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona Paula, Goa - 403 004; Web: www.nio.org.

NIO, a constituent of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, was established in January 1966. It has regional centres in Mumbai, Kochi, and Vishakhapatnam. It has rich infrastructure in terms of a large oceanographic laboratory of international repute and human resource of 200 scientists, with a fine contribution of nearly 5,000 research articles. It operates a coastal research vessel CRV Sagar Sukti, equipped for multidisciplinary oceanographic observations. The institute makes use of the services of the research vessel ORV Sagar Kanya, operated by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The major research areas include the four traditional branches of oceanography indicated above. Further, it conducts research and some other areas such as marine instrumentation and archaeology. Several universities use the institute for carrying out doctoral research, guided by NIO scientists. The research studies carried out are not in the form of academic exercises, but they focus on practical applications. Research sponsored by industry is an integral part of the activities in NIO. Oceanographic data collection, environmental impact assessment, modelling for the prediction of environmental impact, marine environmental protection, and coastal zone regulations are being handled.

NIO gives opportunities for nearly 60 Ph.D. research fellows at a time. Also, it offers facilities for project research work for hundreds of graduate and postgraduate students. In other words, the institute is a research hub in several areas of oceanography.

Thrust areas

Some of the areas of focus are indicated below.

Application of geological and geophysical methods in marine archaeology and underwater explorations.

Applications of marine geo-scientific methods to study seabed and sub-seabed geological features.

Biogeochemical and ecosystem responses to global climate change and anthropogenic perturbations, and transfers across interfaces in the north Indian Ocean.

Biominerals from the continental margins and conditions for their formation.

Bioprospecting and biotechnology of marine microorganisms.

Coastal upwelling (upward movement of water along a coast).

Eco-bio-geography of the estuarine and coastal waters.

Engineering analysis of coastal processes for marine structures and technology development.

Environmental impact analyses of mining of marine minerals.

Equatorial Indian Ocean processes on the climate variability.

Evaluation, mechanism and control of biofilm (a thin film of bacteria that adheres to a surface) and biofouling (impairment of something, such as a ship's hull, as a result of the growth of living organisms).

Genesis and occurrence of deep-sea mineral deposits.

Habitat ecology and aquaculture of marine organisms for food and medicine and chemical synthesis of novel compounds.

Impact of natural and anthropogenic pressures on the coastal zone.

Indian climate and phytoplankton variability.

Interaction between ocean, atmosphere and coastal seas.

Marine environmental studies for sustainable development in coastal zones.

Marine pollution assessment and eco-toxicology.

Physical and biogeochemical dynamics of estuarine and coastal ecosystems.

Why we are not in the top 100

The NAAC director analyses the weaknesses of the Indian higher education system and the long road to accredited status.

Accreditation has always been considered a powerful tool to ensure quality in education. After many failed attempts to convince institutes of higher education institutions to get accredited voluntarily, it has now come to a stage where only imposing can make it possible. The passing of the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010 (already introduced in Parliament), will make accreditation mandatory for all universities and colleges in future.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), an autonomous body of the University Grants Commission, has over a period of time strived to improve the quality of higher education through the process of assessment and accreditation by partnering with institutions with minimum standards in place. The fact that only around 130 out of 600 universities and 2,800 out of 30,000 colleges have received accreditation in the country speaks volumes about the quality of higher education in the country.

Talking to Education Plus, H.A. Ranganath, Director, NAAC, said there is very poor motivation among institutions. They have to realise that accreditation is a mark of quality. It is a benchmark by which stakeholders assess an institution. Quality should be the focus right from the day a college is born. It is a journey that should start from day one of the functioning of a college. Unfortunately, that is not the situation now.

“Permission is sought to open an institution, but there is no regulation to insist that the institution seeks permission to start admissions. Starting an institution and beginning admissions for courses should be viewed as two different things. With minimum infrastructure, faculty, and facilities, and without accreditation, admissions are allowed for various courses. An institution, when it begins with no basic pre-natal research, takes birth with congenital disorders and defects leading to evolutionary problems in quality assurance and maintenance of standards. Even with such serious limitations and shortcomings, students are admitted to courses.

“It is not only the colleges, but also universities are being created without proper representation of faculty members, human resource, infrastructure and so on. The university has the moral authority to provide leadership to affiliated colleges. But huge and expansive numbers, in terms of colleges, may strangulate the functioning of a university. Ultimately, a university fails to maintain standards and quality suffers.

“Given the facts and figures, it can be seen that the Indian higher education system has reached great heights in terms of expansion and multiplicity.

The expansion of the system has brought with it a degree of high diversity and pluralism. It is replete with Central universities, State universities, private universities, deemed-to-be universities, and various others institutions of higher education.

The scenario will turn more complex with the distinct possibility of the entry of foreign universities. So, it is imperative that we raise our standards.

“A brief glance at the top 100 research universities reveals a grim picture that is sure to leave you gasping for breath. In stark contrast to the growth and expansion, not a single Indian university figures in this list. The picture is clear. The Indian universities have not made it to the quality ladder in the international arena. There is a dire need to introspect where we have gone wrong,” he laments.

Mr. Ranganath also stresses the importance of sustaining the quality as many institutions do not believe in renewing accreditation.

Institutions should ensure that quality is sustained as a continuous process. They have to make self-assessments on a regular basis and should not wait for an authority to visit the college once in five years to do it for them, says Mr. Ranganath.