- LIS-Forum - ncsi.iisc.ernet.in

(no subject)
by Dr.H.S.Siddamallaiah 07 Jul '05

07 Jul '05

Remainder This is to remind all the members of the KALA- Karnataka State Library Association that the Annual General Body Meeting and the election of Governing Body members will conducted on Saturday, 9th July 2005. As per the bye law of the association the election will be held among the members attended the meeting. The members present in the meeting are eligible for both contesting the election and to vote the candidates. Details of the meeting are as follows Karnataka State Library Association ® C/o Canara Bank School of Management Sciences Central College campus Bangalore University, Bangalore-1 No.KALA/AGM/2001-2005/june18 AGM notification Annual General-body Meeting (AGM) of KALA is convened on 9th July 2005, Saturday, at 4.00 PM. All the members are requested to make it convenient to attend the AGM. Venue: Granthangana, City Central Library, RPC layout (near Bus stop) Vijayanagar, Bangalore- 560040 AGENDA: 1. Tabling Annual report 2001- 2005 2. Tabling Audited statement report 2001-2005 3. Election of Governing body members - Election Officer- Sri.N.V.Sathyanarayana, Informatics 4. Official announcement of elected GB members by election officer 5. Presidents Address Dr.H.S.Siddamallaiah, President KALA will preside over the meeting Dr.H.S.Siddamallaiah President KALA Ms.R.Adilakshmi General Secretary, KALA

1 0

New Working Title for AACR3 - RDA
by Indira Koneru 06 Jul '05

06 Jul '05

Dear Professionals, Joint Steering Committee (JSC) has decided on a new working title for new cataloguing code "Resource Description and Access" (RDA) rather than a new edition of AACR, with a different approach, to accommodate rules for mixed and multi media materials. One can capture the relevant news and announcement from the following link http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/current.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indira K. Faculty Associate Dept. of Library Science ICFAI University 25, Nagarjuna Hills Hyderabad-500 082 E-mail: indk68(a)hotmail.com Dear Professionals, Joint Steering Committee (JSC) has decided on a new working title for new cataloguing code "Resource Description and Access" (RDA) rather than a new edition of AACR, with a different approach, to accommodate rules for mixed and multi media materials. One can capture the relevant news and announcement from the following link http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/current.html http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/current.html Indira K. Faculty Associate Dept. of Library Science ICFAI University 25, Nagarjuna Hills Hyderabad-500 082 E-mail: mailto:indk68@hotmail.com indk68(a)hotmail.com

1 0

Waiting for Positive Response
by Sukhdev Singh 06 Jul '05

06 Jul '05

Dear fellow professionals, If you remember, last week I had made an appeal. However, I got just one response that too from NCSI. I am still hopeful that professionals working in institutions dealing with Bio-Medical Sciences will make their scientist aware of self-archiving and OpenMED@NIC i.e. http://openmed.nic.in . Although it is not doing that bad, but still I feel, our professionals should take active interest in it. As of now it seems people from other fields are much more active and vocal. I therefore request you to make scientists of your organisation aware in self-arching. It really does NOT matter if they archive in OpenMED , http://openmed.nic.in or some other reliable and persistant archive. The thing that really matters is that WHAT IS OUR CONTRIBUTION in this Open Access and Self - Archiving movement. If you are planing to conduct such awareness programmes and need some of my time. Please let me know. Waiting for Positive Response. One of you, Sukhdev Singh, NIC. http://openmed.nic.in

1 0

vacancy for Asst.Librarian
by d.v. patwardhan 06 Jul '05

06 Jul '05

To: The System Manager, LIS-Forum Dear Sir, Sub: Candidates for the post of Assistant Librarian. Please announce the following Advertisement relating to vacancy for a post in the Library of Global Academy of Technology, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore560098, in LIS-Forum. D.V.Patwardhan Librarian, G.A.T., Bangalore-560098 Tel: 080-28603158 (O), 080-23409134 (Res. After 7 p.m.) ---------------------------------------------------- A post of Assistant Librarian will fall vacant from 1st August 2005 requiring following qualification and experience. Qualification: Any Degree with M.L.I.Sc. and working knowledge of any Library software Package; Experience: One/Two year in a College Library. Pay: State Govt. scale (min.Rs.8000/-). Interested candidates may please send their Resume with Passport size colour photograph, copies of marks cards and Certificates to: The Principal, Global Academy of Technology, Ideal Homes Township, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore560098, within ten days. The candidates should provide two references of persons of repute. The candidates should be willing to attend interview at their cost. ----------------------------------------------------- __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail for Mobile Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. http://mobile.yahoo.com/learn/mail

1 0

science research in India- two articles are there in this message
by Prof. N. Laxman Rao. 05 Jul '05

05 Jul '05

UK seeks views on 'science for development' strategy David Dickson 29 June 2005 Source: SciDev.Net The British government has launched an online consultation to seek guidance on how it should support science and innovation as part of its international aid programme. The consultation was launched this week by Gordon Conway, the former president of the Rockefeller Foundation, who was appointed chief scientist at the Department for International Development (DFID) earlier this year and is currently drawing up a science and innovation strategy for the department. According to Conway, developing the new strategy is one of his "highest priorities". It is intended not only to describe the current activities of the UK government in this area, but also provide a "scientific lens" for DFID thinking, and for its future policy development (see Six components for science in poor nations). "I am keen to seek views on the strategy, and learn from the wealth of knowledge, experience and new and exciting thinking that exists, not only in the international community and in DFID itself but particularly among our partners in developing countries," Conway said in a statement issued on Tuesday (28 June). The Science and Innovation Strategy is expected to be published by the end of 2005. In addition to influencing DFID's own thinking, it will also contribute to the delivery of the UK's ten-year investment framework for science and development, launched by finance minister Gordon Brown last year. Earlier this year, DFID was criticised by a UK parliamentary committee for not making a greater contribution to the initial design of this ten-year framework, which lays out a plan for significantly increasing government support for science and technology in Britain but has relatively little to say about how much of this should be aimed at helping developing countries. DFID officials say that the consultation is intended to pose a range of questions about how the department engages with science and innovation, whether internally, as part of the international community, or in developing countries. "By 'science' we refer to the full spectrum of natural and social sciences, engineering and technology. 'Innovation' refers to the successful application of new ideas, from cutting edge research to the application of established technologies to meet the challenges faced by the very poorest," says a statement issued by the department. Officials say that the online consultation is intended to help the department increase its effectiveness, and to establish future priorities for supporting science and innovation for development. However, they add that although the strategy will be used "to inform and influence resource allocation processes", the consultation "is not an opportunity to bid directly for DFID funds". Contributions should be submitted no later than 19 September 2005. To contribute, please visit the consultation website at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/consultations/. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India to revitalise science research in universities T. V. Padma 1 July 2005 Source: SciDev.Net [NEW DELHI] The Indian government has announced it will create 1,000 new positions for researchers at its universities and set up centres in them to promote collaborative research. The moves are among recommendations made by a committee set up in March to suggest ways of improving research in basic sciences in India. The government said on 15 June that it would implement all the committee's recommendations, whose projected cost is six billion rupees (US$138 million) per year. Two 'networking centres' each, housed in Indian universities, will be set up for physics, chemistry, biology, material sciences and mathematics. The centres will promote collaborative research, and provide both training and access to advanced research facilities. The government has agreed to support the centres on a long-term basis to help them become internationally competitive. The committee also stressed the need for India to fill the large number of faculty positions that have been vacant in its universities for many years, and to create 1,000 additional research posts including lecturers and professors. Although there are no official figures for the number of vacancies in science faculties, Arun Nigavekar, chair of the University Grants Commission told SciDev.Net that across all disciplines, an average of 25 per cent of faculty positions in India are lying vacant. The government plans to phase in the new positions over the next five years, but, according to Nigavekar, has yet to decide whether the posts new as well as existing vacant ones would be filled on a permanent or on a tenure basis. The committee also set a target of increasing five-fold the number of science doctorates awarded in India by 2015. In the 2001-2002 academic year, just over 4,000 PhDs in science subjects were awarded, according to the latest figures from the University Grants Commission. The committee suggested the minimum qualification for a lecturer in the university science departments should be a PhD, except for departments in engineering and medicine where a lecturer could initially be appointed with an M.Tech/MD or MSc, but must acquire a PhD within seven years of appointment. Another key recommendation included promoting formal links between universities and national science institutes through joint research projects and training programmes, as well as encouraging collaboration with industries and user organisations for technologies. Women scientists should be encouraged to take up careers in basic science by removing age barriers currently 28 years for a junior research fellowship and introducing flexible time management at work to help them balance their personal and professional responsibilities. The government's latest move comes in the wake of concern voiced repeatedly by senior scientists, science policymakers and even Indian prime ministers, on the decline of science education and research in basic sciences in Indian universities. "Pure sciences are definitely some of the disciplines we need to pay attention to urgently," says Nigavekar. To address some of these issues, the University Grants Commission has initiated steps to increase funds to upgrade science laboratories, improve Internet connectivity to universities and colleges and improve the quality of teaching and distance education. Prof.N.LAXMAN RAO, Dept.of Library & Information Science, Osmania University, HYDERABAD- 500 007 (INDIA) President, Indian Association of Teachers in Library and Information Science (IATLIS). Ph:+91-40-27171565 (res): +91-40- 27682290 (off) 9246547599 (Mobile) e:mail-- naglaxman(a)yahoo.com OR naglaxman(a)indiatimes.com --------------------------------- Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PCcalling worldwide with voicemail UK seeks views on 'science for development' strategy David Dickson 29 June 2005 Source: SciDev.Net The British government has launched an online consultation to seek guidance on how it should support science and innovation as part of its international aid programme. The consultation was launched this week by Gordon Conway, the former president of the Rockefeller Foundation, who was appointed chief scientist at the Department for International Development (DFID) earlier this year and is currently drawing up a science and innovation strategy for the department. According to Conway , developing the new strategy is one of his "highest priorities". It is intended not only to describe the current activities of the UK government in this area, but also provide a "scientific lens" for DFID thinking, and for its future policy development (see http://www.scidev.net/content/news/eng/six-components-for-science-in-poor-n… Six components for science in poor nations ). "I am keen to seek views on the strategy, and learn from the wealth of knowledge, experience and new and exciting thinking that exists, not only in the international community and in DFID itself but particularly among our partners in developing countries," Conway said in a statement issued on Tuesday (28 June). The Science and Innovation Strategy is expected to be published by the end of 2005. In addition to influencing DFID's own thinking, it will also contribute to the delivery of the UK 's ten-year investment framework for science and development, launched by finance minister Gordon Brown last year. Earlier this year, DFID was criticised by a UK parliamentary committee for not making a greater contribution to the initial design of this ten-year framework, which lays out a plan for significantly increasing government support for science and technology in Britain but has relatively little to say about how much of this should be aimed at helping developing countries. DFID officials say that the consultation is intended to pose a range of questions about how the department engages with science and innovation, whether internally, as part of the international community, or in developing countries. "By 'science' we refer to the full spectrum of natural and social sciences, engineering and technology. 'Innovation' refers to the successful application of new ideas, from cutting edge research to the application of established technologies to meet the challenges faced by the very poorest," says a statement issued by the department. Officials say that the online consultation is intended to help the department increase its effectiveness, and to establish future priorities for supporting science and innovation for development. However, they add that although the strategy will be used "to inform and influence resource allocation processes", the consultation "is not an opportunity to bid directly for DFID funds". Contributions should be submitted no later than 19 September 2005 . To contribute, please visit the consultation website at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/consultations/ http://www.dfid.gov.uk/consultations/ . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India to revitalise science research in universities T. V. Padma 1 July 2005 Source: SciDev.Net [ NEW DELHI ] The Indian government has announced it will create 1,000 new positions for researchers at its univ! ersities and set up centres in them to promote collaborative research. The moves are among recommendations made by a committee set up in March to suggest ways of improving research in basic sciences in India . The government said on 15 June that it would implement all the committee's recommendations, whose projected cost is six billion rupees (US$138 million) per year. Two 'networking centres' each, housed in Indian universities, will be set up for physics, chemistry, biology, material sciences and mathematics. The centres will promote collaborative research, and provide both training and access to advanced research facilities. The government has agreed to support the centres on a long-term basis to help them become internationally competitive. The committee also stressed the need for India to fill the large number of faculty positions that have been vacant in its universities for many years, and to create 1,000 additional research posts including lecturers and professors. Although there are no official figures for the number of vacancies in science faculties, Arun Nigavekar, chair of the University Grants Commission told SciDev.Net that across all disciplines, an average of 25 per cent of faculty positions in India are lying vacant. The government plans to phase in the new positions over the next five years, but, according to Nigavekar, has yet to decide whether the posts new as well as existing vacant ones would be filled on a permanent or on a tenure basis. The committee also set a target of increasing five-fold the number of science doctorates awarded in India by 2015. In the 2001-2002 academic year, just over 4,000 PhDs in science subjects were awarded, according to the latest figures from the University Grants Commission. The committee suggested the minimum qualification for a lecturer in the university science departments should be a PhD, except for departments in engineering and medicine where a lecturer could initially be appointed with an M.Tech/MD or MSc, but must acquire a PhD within seven years of appointment. Another key recommendation included promoting formal links between universities and national science institutes through joint research projects and training programmes, as well as encouraging collaboration with industries and user organisations for technologies. Women scientists should be encouraged to take up careers in basic science by removing age barriers currently 28 years for a junior research fellowship and introducing flexible time management at work to help them balance their personal and professional responsibilities. The government's latest move comes in the wake of concern voiced repeatedly by senior scientists, science policymakers and even Indian prime ministers, on the decline of science education and research in basic sciences in Indian universities. "Pure sciences are definitely some of the disciplines we need to pay attention to urgently," says Nigavekar. To address some of these issues, the University Grants Commission has initiated steps to increase funds to upgrade science laboratories, improve Internet connectivity to universities and colleges and improve the quality of teaching and distance education. Prof.N.LAXMAN RAO, Dept.of Library & Information Science, Osmania University, HYDERABAD- 500 007 (INDIA) President, Indian Association of Teachers in Library and Information Science (IATLIS). Ph:+91-40-27171565 (res): +91-40- 27682290 (off) 9246547599 (Mobile) e:mail-- naglaxman(a)yahoo.com OR naglaxman(a)indiatimes.com http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail/uk/taglines/default/messenger/*http://uk.messen… Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PC http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail/uk/taglines/default/messenger/*http://uk.beta.m… calling worldwide with voicemail

1 0

Care and Handling of CDs and DVDs: A Guide for Librarians and Archivists,
by vishal mali 05 Jul '05

05 Jul '05

Dear all Please follow the below link for Guide for care of CDs and DVDs http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub121/pub121.pdf Which is very useful for librarians -- VISHAL MALI PROJECT ASSISTANT II NATIONAL CHEMICAL LABORATORY PUNE-8 Dear all Please follow the below link for Guide for care of CDs and DVDs http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub121/pub121.pdf http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub121/pub121.pdf Which is very useful for librarians -- VISHAL MALI PROJECT ASSISTANT II NATIONAL CHEMICAL LABORATORY PUNE-8

1 0

Re: IATLIS ELECTIONS -2005-08 DECLARATION OF RESULTS
by Mailing List Manager 05 Jul '05

05 Jul '05

Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2005 11:51:17 +0530 (IST) From: I.R.N.Goudar <goudar(a)css.nal.res.in> Dear LIS Professors and Professionals, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW TEAM OF IATLIS OFFICE BEARERS, REGIONAL MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE MEMBERS. This list is very much balanced with representations from all regions (VPs and Regional Secretaries) and convinient immidiate office bearers like Secreatry in the vicinity of IATLIS President Prof. C.R. Karisiddappa from functional. I am sure the entire LIS Teachers Community and there by Students and Practicing LIS Professionals in the country will reap the expertise and expertise of this able team through IATLIS activities. The inputs and guidance of Prof. Lakshman Rao and others, who worked for IATLIS, I am sure will be available to the new team. There is a need to bring together various LIS Associations on a common platform (including ILA, IASLIC, SIS, various State Level Library associations, Associations of various types of colleges, schools, Industries, etc) to give new direction to LIS Community and also network the minds of all those concerned in one method or the other including Virtual Technplogy. I request IATLIS to take a lead in this matter. GOOD LUCK TO IATLIS NEW TEAM IN THEIR ENDEAVIOUR FOR THEIR TERM. Goudar -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I.R.N. Goudar Tel: 91-80-25086081 Head, Information Centre for 91-80-25235315 Aerospace Science and Technology Fax: 91-80-25268072 National Aerospace Laboratories E-mail:goudar@css.nal.res.in Airport Road, BANGALORE-560 017 India http://www.icast.org.in/staff/goudar.html

1 0

Kannada books will go online
by Rashid Hussain 05 Jul '05

05 Jul '05

Primary and Secondary Education Minister R Ramalinga Reddy said on Monday at a programme organised by Karnataka State Public Libraries Department Employees Association that one Lakh kannada books will made available online within a year. Here is the News One lakh Kannada books, including short stories and novels will be made available online within a year, Primary and Secondary Education Minister R Ramalinga Reddy said on Monday. The Carnegie Mellon University of the US has been entrusted with the project of hosting the books on the website, he said at a programme organised by Karnataka State Public Libraries Department Employees Association to felicitate Mr F S Durgannavar, former chief librarian, City Central Library, Malleswaram, and the launch of library kiosk (at Malleswaram library) and release of e-granthalaya (public library), a users manual of the Department of Public Libraries. Mr Reddy said that libraries will be established in 250 Gram Panchayats at a cost of Rs 10 crore this year. The government has planned to establish three hi-tech libraries in Shravanabelagola, Gulbarga and Bagalkot, besides two in Bangalore, he said. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, who inaugurated the library kiosk said that more libraries should be opened in rural areas and the concept of e-library should be extended to them. Mr Patil also commended Mr F S Durgannavar, former chief librarian, City Central Library, Malleswaram for designing the library kiosk. The kiosk is developed by Saral Solutions. Source : Decan Herald, 5th July 2005 Link : http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jul52005/state19839200574.asp Thanks & Regards = = = = = = = = = = = Rashid Hussain Siddiqui Project Assistant Digital Library, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science Jayanagar, Bangalore : 560041 Phone No. : 080-26540930 e-mail : ras.botlib(a)gmail.com Homepage : http://www.drtc.isibang.ac.in/~hussain = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A good library is a place, a palace where the lofty spirits of all nations and generations meet. Samuel NIGER (1883-1956) --------------------------------- Yahoo! Mail Mobile Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. Primary and Secondary Education Minister R Ramalinga Reddy said on Monday at a programme organised by Karnataka State Public Libraries Department Employees Association that one Lakh kannada books will made available online within a year. Here is the News One lakh Kannada books, including short stories and novels will be made available online within a year, Primary and Secondary Education Minister R Ramalinga Reddy said on Monday. The Carnegie Mellon University of the US has been entrusted with the project of hosting the books on the website, he said at a programme organised by Karnataka State Public Libraries Department Employees Association to felicitate Mr F S Durgannavar, former chief librarian, City Central Library, Malleswaram, and the launch of library kiosk (at Malleswaram library) and release of e-granthalaya (public library), a users manual of the Department of Public Libraries. Mr Reddy said that libraries will be established in 250 Gram Panchayats at a cost of Rs 10 crore this year. The government has planned to establish three hi-tech libraries in Shravanabelagola, Gulbarga and Bagalkot, besides two in Bangalore, he said. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, who inaugurated the library kiosk said that more libraries should be opened in rural areas and the concept of e-library should be extended to them. Mr Patil also commended Mr F S Durgannavar, former chief librarian, City Central Library, Malleswaram for designing the library kiosk. The kiosk is developed by Saral Solutions. Source : Decan Herald, 5th July 2005 Link : http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jul52005/state19839200574.asp http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jul52005/state19839200574.asp Thanks & Regards = = = = = = = = = = = Rashid Hussain Siddiqui Project Assistant Digital Library, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science Jayanagar, Bangalore : 560041 Phone No. : 080-26540930 e-mail : ras.botlib(a)gmail.com Homepage : http://www.drtc.isibang.ac.in/~hussain = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A good library is a place, a palace where the lofty spirits of all nations and generations meet. Samuel NIGER (1883-1956) Yahoo! Mail Mobile http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=31132/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/learn/mail Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone.

1 0

unsubscribe
by Doss, Aravind 04 Jul '05

04 Jul '05

�

1 0

Hon'ble President of India to Launch AMRITA-ISRO VRC Network
by Manju 04 Jul '05

04 Jul '05

President of India to Launch AMRITA-ISRO VRC Network on July 6, 2005 at AMRITA University Campus in Coimbatore Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a multi-campus, multi-disciplinary University is collaborating with ISRO, India's foremost agency for space technology and research, to launch the AMRITA-ISRO VRC Satellite Network, a comprehensive Satellite-based Rural Transformation Initiative. ISROs vision of the VRC (Village Resource Center) initiative is to create and implement a sustainable, scalable, space technology-supported community infrastructure catalysing the transformation of rural India. The benefits that VRCs are expected to deliver to rural India cover a broad spectrum: Tele-Education: Using best available teachers to deliver superb quality education to large number of rural area schools across the country over the satellite network interactively via multimedia enhanced content; Imparting skill-based training in tune with local needs of the rural population. Tele-Medicine: Delivering basic and specialized healthcare, preventive and diagnostic services digitally at every rural doorstep via satellite networks Tele-Agriculture, Tele-Fisheries, etc.: Enhancing agricultural, fishing, and other rural occupational productivity with active assistance of timely scientific information on earth (soil, land use, etc.), water, weather, etc. Disaster warning and management, etc. Rural entrepreneurship with the help of micro-financing, etc. Thus, the VRC initiative is an ambitious attempt at overall development of Indias vast rural landscape with the help of the best of communication and information technologies. Project Partners The AMRITA-ISRO VRC Project is a one-of-its-kind University-Government-Industry partnership. AMRITA has brought in some of the foremost multinational companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Oracle, TCS, and financial firms such as IL&FS and Dhanalakshmi Bank, as technology and funding partners, to actively support this landmark initiative to launch more than 12 Village Resource Centers on the Satellite Network across India in the first phase. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has distinguished itself as a dynamic University well on its way to becoming a world class institution of learning, education, and research in a multitude of disciplines. Amrita has launched numerous projects of both societal importance to our Nation and scientific relevance to the World. The Amrita-ISRO VRC Project stands out among these by taking the benefits of satellite network to the common mans doorstep. Visit http://www.amrita.edu , http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Nov05_2004.htm ------------------------------ Manju Vijayakumar, Amrita Deemed University, Amritapuri Campus, Kollam, Kerala __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com President of India to Launch AMRITA-ISRO VRC Network on July 6, 2005 at AMRITA University Campus in Coimbatore http://www.amrita.edu/news/images/vrcapj.jpg Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a multi-campus, multi-disciplinary University is collaborating with ISRO, India's foremost agency for space technology and research, to launch the AMRITA-ISRO VRC Satellite Network, a comprehensive Satellite-based Rural Transformation Initiative. ISROs vision of the VRC (Village Resource Center) initiative is to create and implement a sustainable, scalable, space technology-supported community infrastructure catalysing the transformation of rural India. The benefits that VRCs are expected to deliver to rural India cover a broad spectrum: Tele-Education: Using best available teachers to deliver superb quality education to large number of rural area schools across the country over the satellite network interactively via multimedia enhanced content; Imparting skill-based training in tune with local needs of the rural population. Tele-Medicine: Delivering basic and specialized healthcare, preventive and diagnostic services digitally at every rural doorstep via satellite networks Tele-Agriculture, Tele-Fisheries, etc. : Enhancing agricultural, fishing, and other rural occupational productivity with active assistance of timely scientific information on earth (soil, land use, etc.), water, weather, etc. Disaster warning and management, etc. Rural entrepreneurship with the help of micro-financing, etc. Thus, the VRC initiative is an ambitious attempt at overall development of Indias vast rural landscape with the help of the best of communication and information technologies. Project Partners The AMRITA-ISRO VRC Project is a one-of-its-kind University-Government-Industry partnership. AMRITA has brought in some of the foremost multinational companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Oracle, TCS, and financial firms such as IL&FS and Dhanalakshmi Bank, as technology and funding partners, to actively support this landmark initiative to launch more than 12 Village Resource Centers on the Satellite Network across India in the first phase. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has distinguished itself as a dynamic University well on its way to becoming a world class institution of learning, education, and research in a multitude of disciplines. Amrita has launched numerous projects of both societal importance to our Nation and scientific relevance to the World. The Amrita-ISRO VRC Project stands out among these by taking the benefits of satellite network to the common mans doorstep. Visit http://www.amrita.edu http://www.amrita.edu , http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Nov05_2004.htm http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Nov05_2004.htm ------------------------------ Manju Vijayakumar, Amrita Deemed University, Amritapuri Campus, Kollam, Kerala __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

1 0