Topic: Communication for Understanding & Joy

An Interactive Session

The Department of Electronics & Computer Engineering brings to you an enlightening guest lecture on the topic 'Communication for Understanding & Joy', by none other than India's top physicist, Dr Yash Pal.

Dr Yash Pal, who has been interacting with various social, scientific and educational institutions for many years now at the invitation of students and activists, shall be speaking of his extraordinary role in making development more inclusive through communication. Indeed, he has done extensive work in the theory and practice of Communication for Development, and has proposed new ways of using modern technology, including space technology, in ways appropriate for developing countries.

The octogenarian has served as Chairman on the advisory committee of the TV series “Bharat Ki Chhaap”, “Tur-Rum-Tu” & “Race to Save the Planet”. He has answered questions from viewers in over 150 episodes of the popular science magazine TV Series “Turning Point”. He has also written weekly columns in national newspapers like “Understanding the Universe with Prof. Yash Pal”, “Your Discovered Questions” & “This Universe”. His engagements with children made him declare, “We should learn from children what to teach them”. They have rightly earned him the title “Carl Sagan of India”.

Dubbed a Gandhian Technologist, he often suggests modern ways of achieving inclusive societies that would moderate and then eliminate the rising tide of ethnic tensions and terrorism. He keeps on stressing that India has to define modernity and development in its own terms.

Professor Pal was responsible for conceptualizing the “Science is Everywhere” series of television programs for rural children during the SITE experiment (1975-76) which he was leading. He was the chairman of the committee that produced the report “Learning without Burden” in 1993. Lately, (2004-2005) he has been involved in formal school education as Chairman, Steering Committee for the National Curriculum Framework, 2005. This effort made through NCERT and a large number of academics in the country might bring a significant change in the way India’s children would be educated.

Dr Pal has held several posts of responsibility in India and elsewhere. He was Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC) from 1986-91; Secretary, Department of Science & Technology from 1984-86 and Chief Consultant, Planning Commission from 1983-84. He has also served as visiting professor at the Neils Bohr Institute, Copenhagen; University of Maryland; California Institute of Technology and the Danish Space Research Institute. He continues to hold several positions of importance like President, NCSTC Network and Member, Council of Centre for Rural and Industrial Development (Chandigarh).

A 1976 Padma Bhushan awardee, he has won many awards and honors for his work in India and abroad, including the Marconi International Fellowship Award “to recognize wise and humane leadership in applying modern communications technology to meet the needs of isolated rural villagers in India”, the highest international award in communication.