PU VC Prof. Arun Kumar Grover delivered a spl lecture on history of education and research in India at IISc

Chandigarh, June 14, 2016: Panjab University (PU) Vice Chancellor Prof. Arun Kumar Grover today delivered a special lecture on history of education and research in India at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. He spoke on the topic of “Harbingers of Higher Education & Research and National Development in Independent India: A Selective Comprehension”.
The three day long special symposium is being organized by IISc in association with JNCASR, Bangalore on the topic of "Contemporary Issues in Condensed Matter systems".
A number of noted scientists from different parts of India and abroad are participating in the prestigious symposium.
In his lecture, Prof Arun Kumar Grover described Dr. SS Bhatnagar (1894-1955), Dr.Homi Bhabha (1909-1966), Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis (1893-1973) and Dr BP Pal (1906-1989) as the four titans. He said that all of them were elected as FRS, and had much in common as personal characteristics and contributed a lot for the national development in independent India.
Prof. Grover referred about various historical developments in Higher Education & Research in pre and post Independent India. He recalled the initiation of affiliating Universities in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay in 1857 period. He referred the University Acts of 1860 & 1904; establishing of Government Colleges in Lahore and Delhi in 1864.
Prof Grover mentioned the creation of a constituent college of Calcutta University at Lahore and establishing Central College at Allahabad (1869), which progressed to become University of Panjab at Lahore in 1882 and University of Allahabad in 1887, respectively.
Prof Grover recalled the contribution and journey of Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar from a Research Professor at BHU (1921-24) and as founder Director University Chemical Laboratories, Lahore (1925-39) and creation of CSIR in 1942.
Prof Grover referred the initiation of TIFR by Dr. Homi Bhabha at IISc campus on June 1, 1945 and its formal inauguration at Bombay on 19.12.1945. He also mentioned the synergy between Bhatnagar & Bhabha and creation of UGC with Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar as its first Chairperson in 1953.