CHANDIGARH- December 03, 2008: The Annual Foundation School was inaugurated in the Department of Mathematics, Panjab University , Chandigarh at 9.30 A.M. on 3rd December by Professor I. B. S. Passi, FNA, FNASc, FASc, an eminent mathematician of international fame. About 40 research students from all over India are participating in this program to be held from 3rd to 27th December 2008. This program is sponsored by National Board for Higher Mathematics, Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai. The aim of this School is that talented young students experience excitement and challenge, love of creativity and thrill of tackling problems. There will be emphasis on highlighting inter-relations of basic branches of mathematics. To serve this purpose, there will be six lectures on unity of mathematics by Professor I. B. S. Passi.
The inaugural function was presided over by Professor Ravi S Kulkarni, a renowned mathematician who is a Distinguished Guest Professor at IIT Bombay, Distinguished Honorary Professor at Bhaskaracharya Pratishthana, Pune and Director of ATM Schools, National Board for Higher Mathematics.
The inaugural ceremony was followed by technical sessions in which Professor Sudesh Kaur Khanduja, Professor Savita Bhatnagar, Dr. Renu Bajaj, Dr. Gurmeet K. Bakshi and Professor Ravi S. Kulkarni delivered lectures. Besides faculty members from the Department of Mathematics, the Annual Foundation School has distinguished resource persons like Professor Ajit Iqbal Singh, INSA senior scientist from ISI Delhi, Professor Satya Deo from Harish Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad and Professor Anant Shastri from IIT Bombay. The program is coordinated by Professor Sudesh Kaur Khanduja and Dr. Gurmeet Kaur Bakshi of the department with Professor Madhu Raka as Chairperson.