Chandigarh : With an emphasis on Nuclear Safety and Clean Energy Options, an Inter College Quiz Contest was organized at SRI GURU GOBIND SINGH COLLEGE, CHANDIGARH, by the College Physics Department on 18.01.2012. The function was organized in collaboration with Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) and was catalyzed and supported by Department of Science & Technology (DST), through Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST), Chandigarh , under the DST’s Science popularization program. President , Sikh Educational Society (SES), S. Gurdev Singh Brar, graced the function and presented bouquets to the IAPT office bearers.
Principal H S Sohi blessed the participants of the contest. Prof. Satya Prakash, President IAPT and former Vice Chancellor, Jiwaji University, Gwalior chaired the function. He was welcomed by Prof. Manmohan Gupta, President, Regional Council, IAPT and former chairman Department of Physics, PU, Chandigarh. Prof Gupta emphasized the role of Basic Sciences in initiating any technology. He pointed out that by undermining the role of basic sciences vis-à-vis technology and management courses we are lagging behind even our Asian neighbor China. Prof Satya Prakash in his presidential address discussed the level of research in ancient India about 3000 years earlier, when we were ahead of Archimedes – an elephant was weighed by a Kerala courtier using a boat.
The cause of us not being front runners now is that our laboratories are dominated by managers and decisions in Research & Development Organisations are taken on their financial and other unrelated merits. The Inter College quiz based on science subjects ( Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and Computer Science) was conducted by Prof. M S Marwaha,Head, Physics Deptt, known all over India for his science popularization activities. It was attended by 19 teams from 12 colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh . The First Prize was won by team from Multani Mal Modi College, Patiala and both second and third prizes went to the teams from DAV College, Chandigarh. Prof P K Ahluwalia, Vice President IAPT and former Dean, Planning and Teachers Matters , HPU, Shimla read the vote of thanks.