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Former Professor Emeritus at IIT-Kharagpur and currently Director of LNMIIT, Dr. Ranjan Gangopadhay shares his views on what it takes to build a great institution and a talented pool of professionals in India.
Q. Any new infrastructure students can look forward to at LNMIIT?
A. With regards to physical infrastructure we are opening up a new girls’ hostel and a new boys’ hostel. We have a new mess facility and classroom facilities. I am also taking the initiative to develop a few key laboratories at the undergraduate level, which were non-existent earlier. Hopefully they would be functional in the next two months. These are Microprocessor, Microcomputer and Real-time systems lab; Microwave and Optical Computation Lab; and a third one is the Computer Networking Lab. Apart from that we are stipulating to immediately go forward in implementing a Wireless Communication Lab.
Q. What can you tell us about research at LNMIIT?
A. We are striving for a multi-institutional approach and are going forward in submitting two project proposals: One on Cognitive Radio which involves IIT-Delhi, LNMIIT, NIIT University and Calcutta University. Another one is on Pervasive Healthcare, which involves LNMIIT, NIIT University, and BIT-Hyderabad. I believe that the support that we have already received by the funding agency in terms of their preliminary selection will provide a very hopeful atmosphere when these two project proposals will finally get approved. It is a new model of operating a multi-institutional collaboration for the benefit of our young engineering students, in a frontier area which also fulfils the national expectations and programmes.
We are also inculcating a lot of enthusiasm in our young faculty to prepare project proposals in diverse areas so that a culture of research and innovation should pervade in LNMIIT. Naturally, this will encompass student participation in such programmes. When I say this, it means that we naturally have to go forward with a greater agenda rather than simply allowing the students to do the BTech curriculum.
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| “Money cannot play a directive role in deciding the field in which we would contribute to the society ”
Dr. Ranjan Gangopadhay |
Q. What can you say about the level of research in India?
A. I must say, the scenario as it exists today in India is not that bright as far as innovative research and research contribution by our scientists and students, is concerned. I have a high reservation regarding our existing strength in the national context, which naturally must be understood by senior people and senior faculty in an institution. Accordingly any institution’s administration and academic programmes have to be appropriately structured, designed and operated to fulfil the aspirations of a young mind as well national obligations, which I believe we cannot totally ignore.
Q. What prompted the move from IIT-Kharagpur to LNMIIT?
A. I retired from IIT-Kharagpur in 2006. I was Emeritus Professor thereafter but I feel that after retirement one should not stay in the same institution for more than one or two years. LNMIIT is also created by most people who have retired from the IITs, and therefore I find it very homely here. We have a culture in LNMIIT which is very similar to that practised in an IIT level institution. So I knew I would fit in well. And I have.
Q. How many of LNMIIT’s faculty are from IIT?
A. We have seven to eight faculty who have retired from IIT but then we have a considerable number of young faculty who have got their PhD from IIT.
Q. What do you think about this trend of engineers going in for MBA?
A. That trend I must say is still there, that is a defect of our society, and wrong understanding. When I graduated, I never bothered what pay a particular firm is offering. I bothered with a good job. This trend is partly sponsored by wrong concepts by parents, peers, other things. But it’s no good and does not carry forward a very beautiful picture of a country like India as far as Science & Technology is concerned.
Q. So you prefer engineering students going in for research?
A. I think it is very important. For example, if somebody has already decided that he wants to do management there is no reason he should spoil his four years in Engineering, it is not necessary, you see! He can go for BBA, MBA and so on. I mean this is kind of an improper, inaccurate decision. One should decide at the very start of his life in which field he wants to prosper and accordingly move. Money cannot play a directive role in deciding the field in which we would contribute to the society. Money cannot be a driver. But that is happening in India.
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Q. What about the role of AICTE in engineering education?
A. I do not say anything about AICTE but what I must say is that in India the higher education sector is almost leaderless. And in India it is very unfortunate that people who do not do research, control research. People who do not spend their life in serious kinds of studies, hold positions to determine the destiny of higher education. I really do not know when the system will change.
There are plenty of people in India who are really meritorious, really genius, but they remain unknown, untraced, undiscovered! Whose fault is this? Somebody has to think gravely! But I must say, we have to really, really study the problem in detail, and take a very fresh look. As far as education in general and higher education in particular goes, they need very critical thinking with critical ideas from very wonderful guys, which India still has in its hold – that’s my viewpoint.
Q. How can we tap these brilliant, meritorious people?
A. It’s not very difficult, if you take the help of the people the people will provide you with the names. We never approach, none has ever approached me, I have been a professor for so many years but nobody approaches me, “Can you suggest somebody who is really great in your field?”
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Q. What message would you like to give to students and parents?
A. Something is greatly missing; we are not inculcating our young minds – what exactly you have to do in your life, what you have to achieve in your life, what great thing you can give beyond self to somebody else. I mean this initial training is very vital and fundamental. Rest is, you see, consequential. But the young mind at the school level, he should start thinking how he has an immense potential and that’s what I tell my students -“You may not know what great potential you do possess. Simply self-introspect and self-discover. Ultimately one day you will see that you have a huge, huge potential with which you can really do marvels for the benefit of the society.”
These kinds of very strong motivating words, and allowing students to discover themselves and their abilities should be heightened and highlighted at every level – primarily by parents, then teachers at schools, and by teachers in degree colleges. If these three do not play their role, we can never expect that India will really produce great talent.
