Dear Friends,
I have just returned from Sambalpur. Intellectuals of Sambalpur and Students of UCE, Burla and local colleges made a grand show of strength, walking down the main street from GM college to Collectorate via Laxmi Talkies and Gol Bazar. The air was filled with voice of Swabhimani Odia; WE WANT IIT IN ORISSA. The other slogan was; Odia pua ekk hua. The most shouted slogan was 50 years old UCE, Burla deserves to be an IIEST like other Old colleges of Bengal, AP and Kerala. There were so many slogans.
Around 400 intellectuals and students assembled sharp at 5 PM, near GM College. Rally started at 5. 10 Pm and initially the people of Sambalpur were surprised and wanted to know exactly what it is. Leaflets were distributed by the students and whoever read it, joined the rally. Passer by stopped and raised their hand in support. The roof top people waved their hand at the rally. What a support. The rally was a instant success by the time it reached Laxmi Talkies. Police immediately sprang in to action and gave one way to the rally. By the time it reached Gol bazar the rally has already swelled to more than 1000 persons.
Collector was waiting to receive the Memorandum. He not only assured to send the Memorandum immediately to Govt of India but also discussed at length with the rally leaders( Surendra Lath(MP), P Acharya(MP), Er.Ashesh Padhi, Er. Deba Mishra, Er.Dinesh Pattnaik, Dr.Namita Pattnaik, Wonder kid Bhudhia and student leaders . Out side the Collectorate the slogan continued for 1 hour till the leaders came out of the meeting. After the meeting the Collector was kind enough to come down the stairs and wanted to meet representatives of Agamee Odisha from Bhubaneswar. Dr Santosh Tripathy, Student Leader UU Shri Prasanta , myself ,Swagata & Namita were just happy to interact with him. He expressed his sincere good wishes to our demand and promised us to give land, without any delay, to all prospective Organisations or Persons , who wants to open a Technical institute in that region. He also said that he has earmarked very good patch of land for that purpose. We thanked him and came back. Any body interested may contact him on telephone or in person.
The Sambalpur Rally was of high pitch and convinced us that Intellectuals and students are no more going to accept unjust to their motherland. All leading papers have covered it on front page on 29th April.
Kuddo to Er Ashesh Padhi, Er Dinesh Pattnaik, Er Deba Mishra, All students & all Sambalpur people for showing their strength and raising their voice in unision for the cause of Orissa.
Yours,
Lalit Pattnaik
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Statesman's report on IIT related rally in Sambalpur
Will Budhia’s call make wonders?
Statesman News Service
SAMBALPUR, April 29: After students, teachers, alumni and people of Orissa at large, it was the turn of the wonder boy, Budhia Singh, the marathon runner, to stake demand before the Central government for according IIT status to the University College of Engineering (UCE) at Burla that is celebrating year-long golden jubilee celebration.
The Sambalpur MP, Mr Prasanna Acharya and Rajya Sabha member Mr Surendra Lath were present at a rally participated by students, teachers and alumnus of UCE Burla here yesterday.
The rally ended with handing over a memorandum to the President, Prime Minister and HRD minister and Governor and chief minister of Orissa through the revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) of Sambalpur.
The president of the UCE alumni association, Mr SN Sanyal and its vice-president Mr Dinesh Patnaik gave a comparative picture to the RDC (Northern Division) of Sambalpur, Dr Ashok Dalwai, and narrated as to how the state had lacked in education compared to other states, although it had got a vast potentiality.
“There are seven IITs, six IIMs and 18 Central universities all over the country. But Orissa is yet to have any one of these till date,” the memorandum says.
Mr Sanayal and Mr Patnaik mentioned in the memorandum that the present HRD minister had declared the establishment of two IITs in Orissa and one in Bihar.
“While preparations are on in full swing to establish Indian Institute of Technologies in Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, nothing is being done in respect of Orissa,” they lamented.
For the overall development of the state, alumni association says, according IIT status to UCE Burla by the Centre was necessary at a time the institution is celebrating its golden jubilee this year.
The association also presented the glorious history of this age-old engineering college of the state and its contribution for making the modern India.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
MP Kharabela Swain demanded for IIT in Orissa in the parliament
Friday, April 27, 2007
The Sambalpur rally memorandum: Ashes Kumar Padhy
To : Shri (Dr.) Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalamji
His Excellency the President of India, New Delhi, (presidentofindia@rb.nic.in)
: Shri (Dr.) Manmohan Singhji
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, New Delhi (pmosb@pmo.nic.in)
: Shri Arjun Singhji
Hon’ble Minister, MHRD, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi, (arjuns@sansad.nic.in)
: Shri Naveen Patnaikji
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Orissa, Bhubaneswar, (cmo@ori.nic.in)
Sub : Appeal for (1) A new IIT in Orissa
(2) Upgradation of Orissa’s oldest and finest engineering college ‘UCE, Burla’ as an IIEST
Respected Sirs,
This appeal is being raised to you by the intellectuals, students, and professionals of Orissa with a sense of deep anguish and high hopes. Statistics alone speaks volumes about the continued injustice meted to Orissa – may it be allocation for railways, planned grants, and among many, the allocation of central university & IIT to Orissa.
Union minister of state for HRD Shri MAA Fatmi had announced at the inaugural ceremony of NIOS on August 28th 2006 that 2 IITs in Orissa and one in Bihar would be included in the 11th Five Year Plan. As history has always betrayed Orissa, three green-field IITs have now been planned in Rajasthan, Bihar and Andhra. People of Orissa are in complete disbelief as to how the proposed IIT could be shifted to other States, even as our hon’ble Chief Minister had announced 300 acres of land for the new IIT.
Similarly, when Joshi Committee and subsequently AnandKrishnan Committee evaluated few of the ‘old and quality’ engineering colleges to upgrade to the status of IIEST (Indian Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology), Orissa’s legitimacy was ignored again. Hon’ble Chief Minister Sri Patnaik had recommended to MHRD for upgrading Orissa’s first engineering college - ‘University College of Engineering, Burla’, which has completed 50 years of service to the nation. A booklet containing the self-evaluation of in line with Anadkrishnan has been enclosed.
Five compelling reasons for setting up a green-field IIT in Orissa
1. If Science & Technology are determinants of a State's progress, no state in Republic of India needs IIT more than the poorest Orissa does.
India will truly be a developed country, when each State is developed. Orissa is a state where the poorest, the sickest and one of most illiterate Indians live. 47.15 % of Orissa’s population live below the poverty line against India’s average of 26.10%. Orissa has an IMR of 87 per thousand live births vis-à-vis all-India 68. Overall literacy rate of Orissa is at 63.61 %, well below All India 65.4%. No state can achieve robust growth in economy without sound base in science and technology, which are directly linked to its economic development. While states like Maharastra, Tamilnadu or Karnataka have leveraged the technology base to grow their economy, Orissa has suffered due to the lack of such institutions.
2. Bring correction to the Regional Imbalances, so glaring even after sixty years of Independence
The original Sarkar Committee on whose landmark report IITs were formed in 1950s, had recommended establishment of not less than four IITs – one each in the North, East, South, and West. The visionary report envisaged IITs to be as spread as possible so that benefits of technical excellence are distributed among larger population. Among the States in the South, West, North and the East, Orissa is the only one State that does not have single institution at the level of INIs (total 13 in India), IITs (total 7), IIMs (total 6), Central Universities (total 18). Orissa has no National level R & D establishments except the Regional Research Laboratory of CSIR, Central Rice Research Institute of ICAR and Institute of Physics. In comparison, the city of Hyderabad alone has over 40 centrally funded R & D institutions.
As union budget shows, Centre spends Rs 4.07 on HRD-NH (HRD ministry funded higher education institutions plus Institutions of National Importance) per person in Orissa, Rs 183.08 in Delhi, Rs 115.14 in Uttaranchal, Rs 41.20 in West Bangal, Rs 33.4 in Karnataka, Rs 28.38 in Maharastra, Rs 27 in Tamilnadu. This is gross mismatch and extreme injustice for 35 millions of people of Orissa.
3. After 60 years, Orissa sees an industrial turn around. It needs IIT like never before.
Orissa is poised to add in excess of 70 million tones per annum in steel, 4 mtpa in alumina refining,
1 mtpa in aluminium, 15 mtpa in petrochemical refining, 13000 MWs in power and 5 mtpa in cement. POSCO, Tatas, Mittal, L&T, Aditya Birla Group, Vedanta, Infosys, Satyam, TCS, Wipro are opening shops in Orissa. (a) One NIT notwithstanding, Orissa needs more quality engineers to feed the core and IT industries. (b) Industries need well-equipped laboratories for various testing and calibrations, just as IIT or CPRI, etc. (c) For various process development, industries require reference libraries and collaboration with institute on cutting-edge research. (d) An IIT attracts more university-spawned-high-tech-companies just as Stanford University and MIT have spawned many top-notch companies such as Google, Yahoo and Bose Electronics – all near the University.
4. A National level institute to address “regional challenges”
Natural Disasters have always stood against economic strides of the State. Orissa has faced 17 yrs of flood, 19 yrs of drought, 7 yrs of cyclone since 1965. 480 KMs of coastal line of Orissa remains prone to Tsunami. There is a compelling need of a quality research centers in areas of disaster preparedness and mitigation such as atmospheric science, monsoons, ocean studies, Concrete structures as Cyclone Shelters, emergency evacuation system, seismological observatory, etc.
With vast mineral resources, Orissa is fast turning out to be one of the ‘Quarries of the World’. But, we have many challenges like reduced water retention of hills, drying of rivers, deforestation, denuding of landscape, ecological degradation, pollution of river and ground water, etc. An IIT can formulate innovative mining and provide engineering solutions to sustainable development.
5. An IIT in Orissa will support the Engineering colleges and spread the knowledge grid
In recent years, about fifty private engineering colleges have sprung up in Orissa. An IIT would pave the way for teachers in the private engineering colleges to pursue higher degrees at the IIT. Colleges can collaborate with the IIT for research and recruit faculty from IIT PG and Ph.Ds.
Five reasons why UCE, Burla is a fit candidate for upgradation to IIEST
1. UCE fits the rank of 'old & quality' engineering college.
UCE has a matured, responsible, and rigourous academic system which has been carefully nurtured over 50 years. It teaches UG, PG and Doctorate programs and produced over 15,000 alumni. UCE is an ‘Autonomous’ College since 1992. UCE has earned the clearance of State Government for registration as Society with independent Governing Body. To know the real worth of UCE, one has to look into the companies like SAIL, NALCO, NTPC, L&T, JINDAL, Vedanta, ONGC, etc where its alumni have served strategic positions upto the Board of Directors. One can see the IITs, the foreign Universities where her alumni are faculties. UCE has made huge contribution to the society. Probably there is not a single dam, port, road, power plant, transmission line, industries, irrigation projects, etc in Orissa which has been created without overwhelming participation of UCE alumni. UCE faculties have proved their credibility with their eminence, number of doctorates produced, number of papers produced, etc. About 70% of its faculties today have PhD degrees.
2. UCE has unmatched infrastructure, among bountiful nature
At a time when independent India’s first dam project the ‘Hirakud Dam’ was nearing completion in 1956, UCE took birth at its foothill. UCE has 200 Acres land at the bank of large water body, with additional 300 acres of free land for expansion. UCE is 100% residential college for students, faculties, and staff. It has well developed infrastructures like academic buildings, lecture hall sizes, library, sports complex, computer center, laboratories, workshop, auditorium, high speed Internet connectivity, etc. It has the biggest auditorium, largest library, and 2nd largest campus among all engineering colleges in Orissa. UCE is just 50 KMs away from the Jharsuguda airport.
3. An IIEST in Western Orissa, in close vicinity of KBK, can play larger role in societal development
UCE is in less-developed Western Orissa and close proximity to India's poorest ‘KBK’ region, where an IIEST can play catalyst in implementing schemes such as 'PURA' - i.e. improving the physical, electronic & knowledge connectivities. UCE is already functioning as State Govt’s Nodal Monitoring Agency for PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gramya Sarak Yojona), WaterShed project, etc.
4. UCE is uniquely positioned amidst industries & institutions where an IIEST can flourish.
UCE is at the epicenter of Orissa’s industrial hub, such as Mahanadi Coal Fields, Hindalco, Orissa Hydro Power Corporation, Vedanta Alumina, Aditya Aluminium, Bhusan Steel, Orissa Power Generation Corporation, UltraTech Cement, ACC Cement, Rourkela Steel Plant, NTPC, NALCO, etc. UCE is also surrounded by Sambalpur University, VSS Medical College, Chipilima OUAT. Collaboration with industries and institutions is bound to fetch far-reaching R&D results.
5. Poor State like Orissa cannot afford large fund to this fine institution & research centre
Being an agrarian economy, Orissa’s own tax base is low. The non-tax revenue, of which mining royalty contributes 60%, is also not increasing much. Whopping 62% of borrowings by Orissa in 2001-02 (RE) were utilized for financing interest payment. While Centre gives IITs Rs 100 crores per annum and and NITs get 30 crores, State Govt gives UCE about 4 crores a year. So, it is much better option to upgrade UCE as an IIEST than to lose a fine institution and a sound research base.
We make this appeal to consider our twin legitimate demands, i.e. (a) establishment of new IIT (b) upgrading UCE into an IIEST, with all fairness and give the people of Orissa their due.
With warm regards,
MPs and the IIT Orissa issue in the parliament
Pdf (2 MB) at: http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/iit-orissa-booklet-mps.pdf
Word document (500 KB) at: http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/iit-orissa-booklet-mps.doc
Compilation of news items (9 MB): http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/Binder1.pdf
Digambara Patra's compilation of national labs distribution across India:
http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/state_wise_national_lab.pdf
========================================================
The text part of "IIT in Orissa: talking points"
IIT in Orissa: talking points
Following are some points that can be used to convince the other MPs, the PM, the planning commission etc. that the issue of an IIT in Orissa is an extremely important one; it has caused a lot of strife in Orissa; and appropriate amendments must be made at the earliest.
1. Our strongest point: A green field IIT in Orissa and a branch campus of IIT Kharagpur in Bhubaneswar had been decided in MHRD, so much so that On August 28th 2006, Union minister of state for Human Resources and Development Mr. M. Fatmi said the following Patna. (This was reported in Times of India on Aug 29th 2006, and available for everyone to see at
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1933613.cms and http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/PUmayfinallygetCentralvarsitystatus-.pdf )
2. Is this the India we want where newspaper headlines scream:
3 IITs for Andhra and none for Orissa.
The three IITs for Andhra here refer to the greenfield IIT that has been announced and the announcements that Andha University Engineering College and Osmania University engineering colleges will be upgraded to IIT clones (to be called IIEST – Indian Institutes of Engineering Science and Technology.) We should brandish copies of the news item that has the headlines "3 IITs for Andhra and none for Orissa" to other MPs, planning commission, and the PM.
3. Does MHRD think that Orissa is not a part of India?
Why does it repeatedly takes away institutes that have been announced for Orissa?
Why does not it pay attention that Orissa is among the bottom three in per-capita spending by MHRD on fully-MHRD-funded institutions?
A rough calculation detailed at http://equitableindia.org showed that MHRD was scheduled to spend Rs 4.07 on fully funded HRD institutions (like IITs, IIMs, etc.) per person in Orissa, while it will spend Rs 183.08 in Delhi, Rs 41.20 in West Bengal, Rs 33.4 in Karnataka, Rs 27 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 28.38 in Maharastra, Rs 17.73 in UP, Rs 16.05 in Andhra, Rs 33.27 in Punjab, Rs 8.13 in Haryana, Rs 7.90 in Kerala, Rs 9.02 in MP, Rs 4.87 in Gujurat, Rs 2.59 in Rajasthan, and Rs 1.87 in Bihar. In other words Bihar, Rajasthan and Orissa were at the bottom of per-capita spending by MHRD in its fully funded higher education institutions. Now that IITs have been allotted to Bihar and Rajasthan, it is imperative that the next IIT should have been allotted to Orissa. Since Orissa was skipped over, to correct this injustice an IIT should be immediately allotted to Orissa.
4. Repeated harassment of Orissa: the above has caused a lot of strife among the people of Orissa.
See the news coverage on the outrage this has caused all over Orissa. Is it the goal of the UPA government to create another strife-torn region? There is enough problems in India already! Why does the UPA government, especially its MHRD, repeatedly takes away institutes from Orissa after announcements have been made. This is akin to repeatedly showing food to a hungry person and then taking it away from him/her. Does not MHRD realize that such repeated teasing will make the hungry person seethe with rage. That’s what MHRD’s action has done to Orissa.
Why don’t the PM and planning commission stop MHRD from lighting such fires in the mind of the people of Orissa?
5. Dear PM: Please keep your word. Give us back the biggest infrastructure of all, the IIT that was announced for Orissa.
The PIB release reporting on (http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=27010) the Prime minister’s latest meeting with our CM titled "PM REVIEWS PROGRESS OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN ORISSA" says:
"In his opening remarks the Prime Minister said that the Central Government would take all steps needed to promote development in Orissa. He assured the Chief Minister that procedural delays and inter-ministerial issues will be addressed and the State's interests protected."
Dear PM: The most important infrastructure project for Orissa is an IIT. Please stop it from being taken away after it has been announced by your ministerial colleague, Union minister of state for Human Resources and Development Mr. Fatmi , in Patna, on on Aug 28th 2006.
6. Getting other NDA partners on board: We must get other NDA partners (especially from outside Orissa) on board in our protest and demand for an IIT in Orissa. In this regard one may note that in 2002 the then minister of HRD Dr. M. M. Joshi is reported to have supported this. Following is an excerpt from that report.
(http://www.orissatv.com/pratidinnewsarchives.asp?passed=9/21/2002)
An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) would be set up in the tribal dominated district of Koraput as soon as financial crises is over according to Union Minister for Human Resources Dr Murali Manojhar Joshi. However, in a letter written to the Koraput MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Joshi informed that though the central govt. is interested to impart qualitative technical education, due to paucity of funds, this intention of the govt. is not getting adequate boost.He however, has written that the Centre is considering to open up an IIT in Koraput after its financial condition improves.
7. Parliament Question (needed for future steps): Please ask the following question in the parliament so that we can make an accurate calculation of how much MHRD spends on various states with respect to institutions that are fully funded by it.
Please give the 2005-06 and 2006-07 individual budgets (plan, non-plan and total) of the following fully MHRD funded institutions: Andhra Pradesh (NIT Warangal, Hyderabad University, Maulana Azad Urdu University), Assam (NIT Silchar, IIT Guwahati, Assam University, Tezpur University), Bihar (NIT Patna), Chhattisgarh (NIT Raipur), Delhi (IIT Delhi, JNU, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, School of Planning and Architecture), Gujarat (IIM Ahmedabad, NIT Surat), Haryana (NIT Kurukshetra), Himachal Pradesh (NIT Hamirpur), Jammu & Kashmir (NIT Srinagar), Jharkhand (NIT Jamshedpur, NIFFT Ranchi, ISM Dhanbad), Karnataka (NIT Surathkal, IISc Bangalore, IIM Bangalore), Kerala (NIT Calicut, IIM Kozhikhode), Madhya Pradesh (IIM Indore, NIT Bhopal, NITTR Bhopal, AVB IIITM Gwalior, IIITDM Jabalpur), Maharashtra (NIT Nagpur, NITIE Mumbai, IIT Bombay, Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi University), Manipur (Manipur University), Meghalaya (North Eastern Hill University), Mizoram (Mizoram University), Nagaland (Nagaland University), Orissa (NIT Rourkela), Punjab (NIT Jalandhar, Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology), Rajasthan (NIT Jaipur), TamilNadu (NIT Trichy, IIT Madras, NITTR Chennai), Tripura (NIT Agartala), Uttaranchal (IIT Roorkee), UP (NIT Allahabad, IIM Lucknow, IIT Kanpur, IIIT Allahabad, Benaras Hindu University, Allahabad University, Babasaheb Ambedkar University), West Bengal (NIT Durgapur, IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta, Viswa Bharati University, NITTR Kolkata), Chandigarh (NITTR), and Puducherry (Pondicherry University).
8. Anticipated challenges and countering them
The UPA government will definitely challenge the above points. Following are some anticipated challenges and their counter.
a. Orissa is already given an NISER.
(i) NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) will have mainly science disciplines. An IIT’s focuses are technological and engineering disciplines. So having a NISER does not overcome the need for an IIT.
(ii) NISER is funded by Dept. of Atomic Energy and not by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Not only most other states have multiple fully MHRD funded institutions (such as IIT, IISER, IIM and Central University in West Bengal; IIT, IISER and Central Universities in Maharashtra, etc.) but two of the three states that have been picked for the greenfield IITs have been simultaneously granted other institutes that are funded by MHRD or other ministries. For example, Andhra Pradesh has been granted two MHRD funded IIESTs (Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology), which are referred to as IIT clones, an MHRD funded SPA (school of planning and architecture), a Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers funded NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research) like institute and an Indian Institute of Public Health. Similarly, Bihar has also been granted a NIPER like institute. Kerala, which is being given an MHRD funded IISER is being given a new Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology. Madhya Pradesh which is being given an MHRD funded IISER is being given a new SPA.
So why is Orissa being singled out, especially when NISER is not even from the MHRD, while many others are given multiple MHRD institutions or an MHRD institution and another institution.
b. Orissa has 12 central institutions.
This is ludicrous. Every state has many small central institutions. We are attaching a list at the end of this document that shows which states have which central institutions.
c. An IIT is a national institution; in which state it is located does not matter.
If one thinks of an IIT as a place where people go to study and get their degrees and evaluate its impact based on this aspect solely then it does not matter that much where it is located, and Mr. K is right. But an IIT is not just that.
An IIT is an infrastructure and it has and can also have huge impact on the local area (say within 100 kms) of where it is located.
An institution like IIT is (or will be) an engine of growth in and around the place where it is established. Examples abound: Stanford and Berkeley's impact on the Silicon Valley of California; Harvard and MIT's impact on the Boston corridor and our own IISc's impact on Bangalore are testament to this. (Stanford University and MIT have spawned many top-notch companies such as Google, Yahoo, and Bose electronics, all in the vicinity of the university.)
True, many of our existing IITs do not seem to have that much local impact. But that is changing. The example that is often bandied about as an IIT with no local impact, IIT Kharagpur, is now leading in this. It is helping in the development of a Biotech park near it http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1232755.cms and has also decided to create a super speciality hospital and start a medical college in Kharagpur.
(http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060322/asp/frontpage/story_5998168.asp)
All our IITs will soon have similar and much more local impact and a few decades down the road they could have the impact of a Stanford on Silicon Valley and MIT and Harvard on the Boston corridor.
Moreover, many companies would like to be in a location with an IIT because that provides opportunities for their employees to pursue a higher degree, and because they can collaborate with the IIT faculty and students on cutting edge research. Thus having an IIT makes an otherwise good location a bigger attractor to companies for establishment of branch or for relocation.
At present IITs are India's best graduate schools in engineering. They are the best place, and often are the only place within hundreds of miles, with a comprehensive array of M.Tech and Ph.D programs. In the last decade Orissa has developed 40+ engineering
Colleges (http://orissalinks.googlepages.com/engineeringcollegesinorissa), mostly private ones. However, only handful of faculty in these colleges have Ph.Ds or M.Techs. In contrast, the faculty in most engineering programs in US have Ph.Ds. Several efforts are being made by AICTE, UGC and other organization to improve the quality of faculty in engineering colleges across India. Such efforts include QIP (Quality improvement programs) in various IITs and selected NITs. However, such efforts are not enough as often faculty at a private engineering college, say in the Bhubaneswar area (with 26 and growing engineering colleges), would have to take leave and then pursue a higher degree as the nearest IIT and NIT are more than 300kms away from Bhubaneswar.
However if there was an IIT within an hour and half of Bhubaneswar then many of the faculty in the 26 (and growing) odd engineering colleges in and around Bhubaneswar would be able to pursue higher a degree in that IIT without taking complete leave of their job and without relocating.
As a proof that this theory works, we submit the example of the Institute of Physics in Bhubaneswar. It is a national institute admitting students from all over India. However, if one looks at its alumni http://www.iopb.res.in/~alumni/members/members.html one will
find that a large number of Ph.Ds are from Orissa and many of these Ph.Ds have gone on to be Physics faculty in various colleges in Orissa.
Here we want to state that we do not subscribe that an IIT in Orissa should have any preference or quota for students from Orissa. Its just a fact of life that, especially at the graduate level, for QIP, and for industry sponsored candidates, more local people join take advantage of the opportunity as it is easy for them to do that.
d. IIT location should be in a good accessible place. New IITs should be located in a backward area. There should be industries around the location where a new IIT is located.
We agree and will argue that a location an hour or hour and half south of Bhubaneswar (note: 1.5 hours one way is a typical commute from home to office in Mumbai) satisfies the above three criteria perfectly.
(i) A perfect location for a greenfield IIT is the Ganjam district of South Orissa (which is one of the most backward area of India) at a place within 1-1.5 hours of Bhubaneswar on NH-5 and 30-40 minutes of Berhampur on NH-5, the major town in South Orissa. This location will be the best of both worlds, close enough to Bhubaneswar to avail of all the opportunities there and help the 29+ engineering colleges in the Bhubaneswar-Berhampur corridor and yet in south Orissa and close to South Orissa's major city so as to impact the backward South Orissa region in many other ways. An IIT at such a location will help build a Bhubaneswar-Berhampur hi-tech corridor. Such a location in Ganjam district of Orissa will be in South Orissa the most backward region of India.
(ii) It will be close enough to Bhubaneswar, which is well connected to cities and towns all over India.
Considering only non-stop or one-stop without plane changes, Bhubaneswar has 5 daily flights to Delhi, 3 to Calcutta, 3 to Hyderabad, 2 to Mumbai, 2 to Chennai, 2.3 to Bangalore, 1 to Vizag, and partial connections to Ranchi and Raipur. More details are at http://orissalinks.googlepages.com/airportsandairconnectivityinorissa
Bhubaneswar has multiple daily direct trains to Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, a daily train to Mumbai, and trains to all corners of India (Guwahati, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Jaipur, Punjab, Rishikesh, Kanpur, Lucknow, Benras, Patna, Raipur, Bhopal, etc.) A map of Bhubaneswar's railway connectivity is at http://orissalinks1.googlepages.com/india-map-bbsr-direct-train.pdf and a table is at http://orissalinks.googlepages.com/rail-connectivity-bbsr.pdf
(iii) The Bhubaneswar area has sustained high quality research and educational institutions such as Institute of Physics, Institute of Life Sciences and Xaviers Institute of Mangament, and has many universities such as Utkal University, Orissa university of Agriculture and Technology, Utkal University of Culture, Ravenshaw University. Moreover, recently several several high profile higher education institutions have found the area to be suitable. This includes the proposed NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research), the proposed Vedanta University (near Puri) and the proposed university by the Art of Living trust of Shri Shri Ravishankar. Thus there is no reason why an area within 1 to 1.5 hours of Bhubaneswar is not suitable for an IIT.
(iv) A world class institution needs local goodwill to grow and blossom. When there is a need then the local people will appreciate and help an institution like IIT located in their midst. Earlier, we established the need of an IIT in Orissa. Thus the people of Orissa, because of their need, will appreciate and help in the growth of an IIT in Orissa.
(v) Although Orissa is behind many other states in terms of industrialization, in recent years there has been tremendous industrial growth in Orissa and an IIT is necessary to nurture, support and amplify that growth. Besides existing industries such SAIL Rourkela, NALCO, NTPC, MCL, etc., following is a short list on new industry coming up in Orissa during the last three years:
Metal Sector: 45 projects over 70 mtpa of steel (22 of them partly commissioned) with more than US$45 billion investment; 4 new aluminum complexes and 1 mtpa aluminium smelter capacity under implementation with US$10 billion investment and rare earth projects worth US$0.5 billion. The investors in this sector include POSCO, Arcelor-Mittal, Tata Steel, Bhusan, Jindal, Essar, Hindalco, Vedanta, L&T Dubal etc.
Chemical and Petrochemical: 15 mtpa US$6 billion mega petrochemical by IOC; Deepak Fertilizers implementing 2 chemical projects at Paradeep, etc.
Energy and power: 13 thermal power projects under implementation with capacity of 13,500 MW with investment of US$14 billion and Reliance Industry hydrocarbon based power generation and gas grid (US$1.5Bn). The investors include Tata Power, Reliance energy, Sterlite energy, Mahanadi Aban, Monnet Ispat, Essar power, Lanco group, NavBharat Power, CESC and GMR energy.
Ports: 2 new ports are under construction at Dhamara and Gopalpur and three others at Jatadhari, Kirtania and Astaranga are in the pipeline with MOUs on them signed.
IT: Infosys, Satyam, TCS, Wipro, Genepact, Mindtree, Hexaware, etc.
Word document (500 KB) at: http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/iit-orissa-booklet-mps.doc
Compilation of news items (9 MB): http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/Binder1.pdf
Digambara Patra's compilation of national labs distribution across India:
http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/state_wise_national_lab.pdf
========================================================
The text part of "IIT in Orissa: talking points"
IIT in Orissa: talking points
Following are some points that can be used to convince the other MPs, the PM, the planning commission etc. that the issue of an IIT in Orissa is an extremely important one; it has caused a lot of strife in Orissa; and appropriate amendments must be made at the earliest.
1. Our strongest point: A green field IIT in Orissa and a branch campus of IIT Kharagpur in Bhubaneswar had been decided in MHRD, so much so that On August 28th 2006, Union minister of state for Human Resources and Development Mr. M. Fatmi said the following Patna. (This was reported in Times of India on Aug 29th 2006, and available for everyone to see at
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1933613.cms and http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/PUmayfinallygetCentralvarsitystatus-.pdf )
2. Is this the India we want where newspaper headlines scream:
3 IITs for Andhra and none for Orissa.
The three IITs for Andhra here refer to the greenfield IIT that has been announced and the announcements that Andha University Engineering College and Osmania University engineering colleges will be upgraded to IIT clones (to be called IIEST – Indian Institutes of Engineering Science and Technology.) We should brandish copies of the news item that has the headlines "3 IITs for Andhra and none for Orissa" to other MPs, planning commission, and the PM.
3. Does MHRD think that Orissa is not a part of India?
Why does it repeatedly takes away institutes that have been announced for Orissa?
Why does not it pay attention that Orissa is among the bottom three in per-capita spending by MHRD on fully-MHRD-funded institutions?
A rough calculation detailed at http://equitableindia.org showed that MHRD was scheduled to spend Rs 4.07 on fully funded HRD institutions (like IITs, IIMs, etc.) per person in Orissa, while it will spend Rs 183.08 in Delhi, Rs 41.20 in West Bengal, Rs 33.4 in Karnataka, Rs 27 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 28.38 in Maharastra, Rs 17.73 in UP, Rs 16.05 in Andhra, Rs 33.27 in Punjab, Rs 8.13 in Haryana, Rs 7.90 in Kerala, Rs 9.02 in MP, Rs 4.87 in Gujurat, Rs 2.59 in Rajasthan, and Rs 1.87 in Bihar. In other words Bihar, Rajasthan and Orissa were at the bottom of per-capita spending by MHRD in its fully funded higher education institutions. Now that IITs have been allotted to Bihar and Rajasthan, it is imperative that the next IIT should have been allotted to Orissa. Since Orissa was skipped over, to correct this injustice an IIT should be immediately allotted to Orissa.
4. Repeated harassment of Orissa: the above has caused a lot of strife among the people of Orissa.
See the news coverage on the outrage this has caused all over Orissa. Is it the goal of the UPA government to create another strife-torn region? There is enough problems in India already! Why does the UPA government, especially its MHRD, repeatedly takes away institutes from Orissa after announcements have been made. This is akin to repeatedly showing food to a hungry person and then taking it away from him/her. Does not MHRD realize that such repeated teasing will make the hungry person seethe with rage. That’s what MHRD’s action has done to Orissa.
Why don’t the PM and planning commission stop MHRD from lighting such fires in the mind of the people of Orissa?
5. Dear PM: Please keep your word. Give us back the biggest infrastructure of all, the IIT that was announced for Orissa.
The PIB release reporting on (http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=27010) the Prime minister’s latest meeting with our CM titled "PM REVIEWS PROGRESS OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN ORISSA" says:
"In his opening remarks the Prime Minister said that the Central Government would take all steps needed to promote development in Orissa. He assured the Chief Minister that procedural delays and inter-ministerial issues will be addressed and the State's interests protected."
Dear PM: The most important infrastructure project for Orissa is an IIT. Please stop it from being taken away after it has been announced by your ministerial colleague, Union minister of state for Human Resources and Development Mr. Fatmi , in Patna, on on Aug 28th 2006.
6. Getting other NDA partners on board: We must get other NDA partners (especially from outside Orissa) on board in our protest and demand for an IIT in Orissa. In this regard one may note that in 2002 the then minister of HRD Dr. M. M. Joshi is reported to have supported this. Following is an excerpt from that report.
(http://www.orissatv.com/pratidinnewsarchives.asp?passed=9/21/2002)
An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) would be set up in the tribal dominated district of Koraput as soon as financial crises is over according to Union Minister for Human Resources Dr Murali Manojhar Joshi. However, in a letter written to the Koraput MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Joshi informed that though the central govt. is interested to impart qualitative technical education, due to paucity of funds, this intention of the govt. is not getting adequate boost.He however, has written that the Centre is considering to open up an IIT in Koraput after its financial condition improves.
7. Parliament Question (needed for future steps): Please ask the following question in the parliament so that we can make an accurate calculation of how much MHRD spends on various states with respect to institutions that are fully funded by it.
Please give the 2005-06 and 2006-07 individual budgets (plan, non-plan and total) of the following fully MHRD funded institutions: Andhra Pradesh (NIT Warangal, Hyderabad University, Maulana Azad Urdu University), Assam (NIT Silchar, IIT Guwahati, Assam University, Tezpur University), Bihar (NIT Patna), Chhattisgarh (NIT Raipur), Delhi (IIT Delhi, JNU, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, School of Planning and Architecture), Gujarat (IIM Ahmedabad, NIT Surat), Haryana (NIT Kurukshetra), Himachal Pradesh (NIT Hamirpur), Jammu & Kashmir (NIT Srinagar), Jharkhand (NIT Jamshedpur, NIFFT Ranchi, ISM Dhanbad), Karnataka (NIT Surathkal, IISc Bangalore, IIM Bangalore), Kerala (NIT Calicut, IIM Kozhikhode), Madhya Pradesh (IIM Indore, NIT Bhopal, NITTR Bhopal, AVB IIITM Gwalior, IIITDM Jabalpur), Maharashtra (NIT Nagpur, NITIE Mumbai, IIT Bombay, Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi University), Manipur (Manipur University), Meghalaya (North Eastern Hill University), Mizoram (Mizoram University), Nagaland (Nagaland University), Orissa (NIT Rourkela), Punjab (NIT Jalandhar, Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology), Rajasthan (NIT Jaipur), TamilNadu (NIT Trichy, IIT Madras, NITTR Chennai), Tripura (NIT Agartala), Uttaranchal (IIT Roorkee), UP (NIT Allahabad, IIM Lucknow, IIT Kanpur, IIIT Allahabad, Benaras Hindu University, Allahabad University, Babasaheb Ambedkar University), West Bengal (NIT Durgapur, IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta, Viswa Bharati University, NITTR Kolkata), Chandigarh (NITTR), and Puducherry (Pondicherry University).
8. Anticipated challenges and countering them
The UPA government will definitely challenge the above points. Following are some anticipated challenges and their counter.
a. Orissa is already given an NISER.
(i) NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) will have mainly science disciplines. An IIT’s focuses are technological and engineering disciplines. So having a NISER does not overcome the need for an IIT.
(ii) NISER is funded by Dept. of Atomic Energy and not by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Not only most other states have multiple fully MHRD funded institutions (such as IIT, IISER, IIM and Central University in West Bengal; IIT, IISER and Central Universities in Maharashtra, etc.) but two of the three states that have been picked for the greenfield IITs have been simultaneously granted other institutes that are funded by MHRD or other ministries. For example, Andhra Pradesh has been granted two MHRD funded IIESTs (Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology), which are referred to as IIT clones, an MHRD funded SPA (school of planning and architecture), a Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers funded NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research) like institute and an Indian Institute of Public Health. Similarly, Bihar has also been granted a NIPER like institute. Kerala, which is being given an MHRD funded IISER is being given a new Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology. Madhya Pradesh which is being given an MHRD funded IISER is being given a new SPA.
So why is Orissa being singled out, especially when NISER is not even from the MHRD, while many others are given multiple MHRD institutions or an MHRD institution and another institution.
b. Orissa has 12 central institutions.
This is ludicrous. Every state has many small central institutions. We are attaching a list at the end of this document that shows which states have which central institutions.
c. An IIT is a national institution; in which state it is located does not matter.
If one thinks of an IIT as a place where people go to study and get their degrees and evaluate its impact based on this aspect solely then it does not matter that much where it is located, and Mr. K is right. But an IIT is not just that.
An IIT is an infrastructure and it has and can also have huge impact on the local area (say within 100 kms) of where it is located.
An institution like IIT is (or will be) an engine of growth in and around the place where it is established. Examples abound: Stanford and Berkeley's impact on the Silicon Valley of California; Harvard and MIT's impact on the Boston corridor and our own IISc's impact on Bangalore are testament to this. (Stanford University and MIT have spawned many top-notch companies such as Google, Yahoo, and Bose electronics, all in the vicinity of the university.)
True, many of our existing IITs do not seem to have that much local impact. But that is changing. The example that is often bandied about as an IIT with no local impact, IIT Kharagpur, is now leading in this. It is helping in the development of a Biotech park near it http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1232755.cms and has also decided to create a super speciality hospital and start a medical college in Kharagpur.
(http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060322/asp/frontpage/story_5998168.asp)
All our IITs will soon have similar and much more local impact and a few decades down the road they could have the impact of a Stanford on Silicon Valley and MIT and Harvard on the Boston corridor.
Moreover, many companies would like to be in a location with an IIT because that provides opportunities for their employees to pursue a higher degree, and because they can collaborate with the IIT faculty and students on cutting edge research. Thus having an IIT makes an otherwise good location a bigger attractor to companies for establishment of branch or for relocation.
At present IITs are India's best graduate schools in engineering. They are the best place, and often are the only place within hundreds of miles, with a comprehensive array of M.Tech and Ph.D programs. In the last decade Orissa has developed 40+ engineering
Colleges (http://orissalinks.googlepages.com/engineeringcollegesinorissa), mostly private ones. However, only handful of faculty in these colleges have Ph.Ds or M.Techs. In contrast, the faculty in most engineering programs in US have Ph.Ds. Several efforts are being made by AICTE, UGC and other organization to improve the quality of faculty in engineering colleges across India. Such efforts include QIP (Quality improvement programs) in various IITs and selected NITs. However, such efforts are not enough as often faculty at a private engineering college, say in the Bhubaneswar area (with 26 and growing engineering colleges), would have to take leave and then pursue a higher degree as the nearest IIT and NIT are more than 300kms away from Bhubaneswar.
However if there was an IIT within an hour and half of Bhubaneswar then many of the faculty in the 26 (and growing) odd engineering colleges in and around Bhubaneswar would be able to pursue higher a degree in that IIT without taking complete leave of their job and without relocating.
As a proof that this theory works, we submit the example of the Institute of Physics in Bhubaneswar. It is a national institute admitting students from all over India. However, if one looks at its alumni http://www.iopb.res.in/~alumni/members/members.html one will
find that a large number of Ph.Ds are from Orissa and many of these Ph.Ds have gone on to be Physics faculty in various colleges in Orissa.
Here we want to state that we do not subscribe that an IIT in Orissa should have any preference or quota for students from Orissa. Its just a fact of life that, especially at the graduate level, for QIP, and for industry sponsored candidates, more local people join take advantage of the opportunity as it is easy for them to do that.
d. IIT location should be in a good accessible place. New IITs should be located in a backward area. There should be industries around the location where a new IIT is located.
We agree and will argue that a location an hour or hour and half south of Bhubaneswar (note: 1.5 hours one way is a typical commute from home to office in Mumbai) satisfies the above three criteria perfectly.
(i) A perfect location for a greenfield IIT is the Ganjam district of South Orissa (which is one of the most backward area of India) at a place within 1-1.5 hours of Bhubaneswar on NH-5 and 30-40 minutes of Berhampur on NH-5, the major town in South Orissa. This location will be the best of both worlds, close enough to Bhubaneswar to avail of all the opportunities there and help the 29+ engineering colleges in the Bhubaneswar-Berhampur corridor and yet in south Orissa and close to South Orissa's major city so as to impact the backward South Orissa region in many other ways. An IIT at such a location will help build a Bhubaneswar-Berhampur hi-tech corridor. Such a location in Ganjam district of Orissa will be in South Orissa the most backward region of India.
(ii) It will be close enough to Bhubaneswar, which is well connected to cities and towns all over India.
Considering only non-stop or one-stop without plane changes, Bhubaneswar has 5 daily flights to Delhi, 3 to Calcutta, 3 to Hyderabad, 2 to Mumbai, 2 to Chennai, 2.3 to Bangalore, 1 to Vizag, and partial connections to Ranchi and Raipur. More details are at http://orissalinks.googlepages.com/airportsandairconnectivityinorissa
Bhubaneswar has multiple daily direct trains to Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, a daily train to Mumbai, and trains to all corners of India (Guwahati, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Jaipur, Punjab, Rishikesh, Kanpur, Lucknow, Benras, Patna, Raipur, Bhopal, etc.) A map of Bhubaneswar's railway connectivity is at http://orissalinks1.googlepages.com/india-map-bbsr-direct-train.pdf and a table is at http://orissalinks.googlepages.com/rail-connectivity-bbsr.pdf
(iii) The Bhubaneswar area has sustained high quality research and educational institutions such as Institute of Physics, Institute of Life Sciences and Xaviers Institute of Mangament, and has many universities such as Utkal University, Orissa university of Agriculture and Technology, Utkal University of Culture, Ravenshaw University. Moreover, recently several several high profile higher education institutions have found the area to be suitable. This includes the proposed NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research), the proposed Vedanta University (near Puri) and the proposed university by the Art of Living trust of Shri Shri Ravishankar. Thus there is no reason why an area within 1 to 1.5 hours of Bhubaneswar is not suitable for an IIT.
(iv) A world class institution needs local goodwill to grow and blossom. When there is a need then the local people will appreciate and help an institution like IIT located in their midst. Earlier, we established the need of an IIT in Orissa. Thus the people of Orissa, because of their need, will appreciate and help in the growth of an IIT in Orissa.
(v) Although Orissa is behind many other states in terms of industrialization, in recent years there has been tremendous industrial growth in Orissa and an IIT is necessary to nurture, support and amplify that growth. Besides existing industries such SAIL Rourkela, NALCO, NTPC, MCL, etc., following is a short list on new industry coming up in Orissa during the last three years:
Metal Sector: 45 projects over 70 mtpa of steel (22 of them partly commissioned) with more than US$45 billion investment; 4 new aluminum complexes and 1 mtpa aluminium smelter capacity under implementation with US$10 billion investment and rare earth projects worth US$0.5 billion. The investors in this sector include POSCO, Arcelor-Mittal, Tata Steel, Bhusan, Jindal, Essar, Hindalco, Vedanta, L&T Dubal etc.
Chemical and Petrochemical: 15 mtpa US$6 billion mega petrochemical by IOC; Deepak Fertilizers implementing 2 chemical projects at Paradeep, etc.
Energy and power: 13 thermal power projects under implementation with capacity of 13,500 MW with investment of US$14 billion and Reliance Industry hydrocarbon based power generation and gas grid (US$1.5Bn). The investors include Tata Power, Reliance energy, Sterlite energy, Mahanadi Aban, Monnet Ispat, Essar power, Lanco group, NavBharat Power, CESC and GMR energy.
Ports: 2 new ports are under construction at Dhamara and Gopalpur and three others at Jatadhari, Kirtania and Astaranga are in the pipeline with MOUs on them signed.
IT: Infosys, Satyam, TCS, Wipro, Genepact, Mindtree, Hexaware, etc.
Booklet compiling the IIT Orissa issue in the media (9 MB)
The various news items on the IIT Orissa issue that has appeared in the various Orissa based and national media has been compiled to a single 9 MB pdf file at is made available at http://iitorissa.googlepages.com/Binder1.pdf
I think if this compilation is shown by our MPs to other MPs, the planning commission and PM then it will convince them that this is a big deal for Orissa and it has caused a lot of strife in Orissa and they should pay attention and do something urgently.
I think if this compilation is shown by our MPs to other MPs, the planning commission and PM then it will convince them that this is a big deal for Orissa and it has caused a lot of strife in Orissa and they should pay attention and do something urgently.
Sambad: Orissa MPs prepares to raise IIT issue in the parliament
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Orissa govt document on IIT in Orissa
INDUSTRIES DEPARTMENT GOVT. OF ORISSA India
Industries Department Government of Orissa
BACKGROUND OF IIT PROPOSED IN ORISSA
1 Central Government was earlier considering upgradation of a few selected existing institutions to Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) level. On the proposal of the State Government, it was agreed to consider upgradation of one institution in Orissa.
2 It is learnt that the Government of India has now proposed to establish three greenfield IITs under the 11th Five-Year Plan. Originally, Orissa was included in this proposal, which was also announced by Honourable Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development (HRD) Shri M.A.A. Fatmi on 28th August at Patna. However, recent new reports state that the greenfield IITs will be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, while Orissa has been excluded.
3 The original choice of Orissa was one that had received State wide support and created enthusiasm. The recent news of it being shifted elsewhere has caused widespread disappointment.
4 Separately, the Governing Body of IIT Kharagpur has approved a full fledged campus in Bhubaneswar by upgrading its existing extension centre, entailing an investment of Rs. 800 � 900 crores. The proposal is awaiting the clearance of Ministry of Human Resources Development (MoHRD), Government of India (GoI). The State Government has offered
5 Honourable Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Naveen Patnaik has written to Honourable Prime Minister of India for considering Orissa as the location of one of the greenfield IITs and for expediting the MoHRD sanction to branch campus of IIT Kharagpur.
RATIONALE FOR TOP PRIORITY OF ESTABLISHING AN IIT�S IN ORISSA
1 Orissa is today poised to emerge as the mining, metals, manufacturing and power generation hub of the country with investment proposals amounting to over Rs. 400, 000 crore. Out of this, over Rs. 30,000 crore investment has already materialised, creating employment opportunities, direct and indirect, for about 30,000 persons.
2 The State has also made considerable headway in promoting technical institutions at ITI, diploma and degree levels, which provides the required critical mass to support institutions of higher learning of the level of an IIT.
3 Orissa has the highest concentration of engineering colleges in eastern India and with the current rate of growth, it is expected to be amongst the top States in the country in the very near future.
4 In recent years Orissa has developed a large number of new (mostly private) engineering and MCA colleges and an IIT that grants M.Tech and Ph.D degrees will significantly help in improving the faculty quality of the Orissa engineering colleges, as their faculty can more easily pursue a higher degree at the IIT and can collaborate with IIT faculty. If India were to maintain its growth, India�s engineering colleges have to improve their faculty quality drastically and the new IITs should contribute to that. As one of the emerging hubs for technical education in the country, Orissa greatly deserves an IIT.
5 The vibrant growth in the industrial sector and the technical education sector in the State provides enormous potential for industry and institution linkages, which includes research development activities. Establishment of an IIT in Orissa will greatly facilitate in intensifying this process, which is of critical importance to make the industry globally competitive.
6 Today, Orissa is playing host to the biggest ever FDI projects in the country such as POSCO and Arcelor Mittal steel projects. The presence of such strong industrial players will definitely provide required synergy for an IIT level institution to realize its full potential. Many of the existing & upcoming industries would be able to leverage the presence of an IIT to boost Research & Development (R&D) activities, and they are also very keen to forge varied forms of partnerships with the IIT.
7 Government of India is requested for establishment of a greenfield IIT in Orissa, which would go a long way in supporting the rapid industrial growth in the State by producing highly qualified technical and managerial personnel as well as the much needed R&D support.
8 State Government while recommending the proposal has also conveyed its willingness to provide 300 acres of land free of cost for the prestigious project of IIT Kharagpur to have a full campus in
9 Orissa finds itself at the bottom of per capita funding through MOHRD, which is not at all justified. The establishment of a
RATIONALE FOR TOP PRIORITY OF ESTABLISHING AN IIM IN ORISSA
1 Given the current industrial boom in Orissa, it is necessary to bring in a culture of professional management and handling of the development process. For this, there needs to be a steady induction of a stream of professional, committed and dynamic managerial workforce into the system.
2 In this context, the establishment of a
3 Besides, the IIM will be one �centre of excellence� that will be a partner to the State in many strategic interventions, be it in promoting entrepreneurship or supporting institutional reforms or formulating policies or providing a think-tank to high level Government decisions or training / retraining of staffs or in encouraging ethical practices in governance & management, etc.
4 Numbers and quality of faculty in local management institutes is a concern which would be adequately addressed by the IIM through it�s doctoral programmes and faculty development programmes.
5 The services sector in Orissa shall be largely benefited by the MBAs from IIM and the sector will be one with the highest growth rates. In fact, an IIM in Orissa will attract services sector players to consider the State as a centre for their businesses.
6 It is learnt that 5 new IIMs are being established under the 11th Plan. Government of
BACKGROUND OF BHUBANESWAR�S EMERGENCE AS THE NEW KNOWLEDGE CITY
1 Government envisages Bhubaneswar as the new �Knowledge City� through a confluence of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Technical Education.
2 Bhubaneswar, the State capital is the 2nd planned city in the country after Chandigarh; Bhubaneswar has been ranked 5th among cities in �Ease of Doing Business�, a recent study conducted by The World Bank.
3 In IT Sector, Orissa is emerging as a powerhouse with software exports in excess of US$ 100 million during 2005 � 06 and a target of exporting software to the tune of US $ 1000 million by 2011-12.
4 Major players: Infosys, Satyam & TCS and Wipro, Genpact (operational by April-June 07) ; Other major players include MindTree Consulting, Genpact, Hexaware Technologies and Contiloe Films.
5 More than 300 SME units and 12000 software professionals in the State.
6 Investors from
7 Upcoming Knowledge Corridors
i.
ii.
iii. IDCO-Genpact BPO Complex on 28 acres in the heart of the city
8 State Government has taken the initiative of promoting an International Institute of Information Technology in the public private partnership (PPP) mode.
9
RATIONALE FOR TOP PRIORITY OF ESTABLISHING AN IIIT IN ORISSA
10 It is of utmost importance to establish an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Bhubaneswar with central funding which will provide the critical high-end institutional intervention to catapult Bhubaneswar into the fast lane of knowledge based industries.
10 IIT would be an ideal platform for new age courses like bio-informatics, bio-engineering, data mining, embedded systems, image processing, mobile communication, computing, networking, pattern recognition, parallel & distruated computing, robotics, VLSI, etc.
11 The institute would provide the necessary R&D level interventions and support to the IT industry in Orissa.
12 With the emergence of Orissa as the mining, metals, manufacturing and power generation hub in the country, there will be a need for designing applications of IT to the modern manufacturing and engineering sectors, thereby fostering competitiveness and technology driven growth. IIIT will fill this gap in the State.
13 Also, the IIIT will foster technical applications to activities like disaster management that will have huge beneficial impacts on social sectors like agriculture, rural infrastructure, forest & environment management, etc.
Sambada: Why a movement for establishing an IIT?
Sambada Editorial page article(pdf) by Prof. Chitta Baral. (Thanks to Sambada editor and staff for the translation.) The original article in English is available in word and pdf. Tathya.in published it in English with some editorial changes.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Mr Ashesh Padhy on Budhijibi Swabhiman Rally at Sambalpur for IIT and IIEST in Orissa
Dear friends !
We are all set to take out an intellectual ralley ('Budhijibi Swabhiman Rally') at Sambalpur on 28th April at 5 PM. It will start from Church Square and terminate at the office of the Collector who will be handed over the following memorandum with a request to forward to the addressees. This is organized jointly by 'Aggami Orissa' who have been dreaming of a 'Different Orissa' and Alumni Association of UCE who also are striving for a better tomorrow for their alma mater. Local MP, Members of 'Aggami Orissa' from Bhubaneswar & other parts of Orissa, hundreds intellectuals from Sambalpur, About 500 students of UCE, Student & faculty from Sambalpur University, GM College & other institutions shall participate in the rally.
plz join the rally in large numbers for the better interest of Orissa which a perfect paradox of 'Poverty-amidst- Plenty'. I am attaching the draft letter highlighting our twin demands for your kind reflection.
Regards,
A Proud Oddia - Ashesh Padhy (+91)9437063788
We are all set to take out an intellectual ralley ('Budhijibi Swabhiman Rally') at Sambalpur on 28th April at 5 PM. It will start from Church Square and terminate at the office of the Collector who will be handed over the following memorandum with a request to forward to the addressees. This is organized jointly by 'Aggami Orissa' who have been dreaming of a 'Different Orissa' and Alumni Association of UCE who also are striving for a better tomorrow for their alma mater. Local MP, Members of 'Aggami Orissa' from Bhubaneswar & other parts of Orissa, hundreds intellectuals from Sambalpur, About 500 students of UCE, Student & faculty from Sambalpur University, GM College & other institutions shall participate in the rally.
plz join the rally in large numbers for the better interest of Orissa which a perfect paradox of 'Poverty-amidst- Plenty'. I am attaching the draft letter highlighting our twin demands for your kind reflection.
Regards,
A Proud Oddia - Ashesh Padhy (+91)9437063788
Samaja: Why not establish an IIT in Orissa?
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Govt plans to set up 20 new IITs: rediff
Chitta's note: This may be a wrong news. The plan is for 20 IIITs not 20 IITs. Some journalist must have made a typo. The PIB about the annual report which the article refers to says 20 IIITs not 20 IITs.
==================================================
April 24, 2007 20:56 IST
The government is planning to set up 20 new Indian Institutes of Technology across the country.
The Union HRD ministry has submitted a proposal to this effect to the Planning Commission, its annual report for 2006-07 said.
The Planning Commission has suggested that the setting up of the new IITs could be considered under public-private participation, the report stated.
There are seven Indian Institutes of Technology and six Indian Institutes of Management in the country. The government has recently decided to set up three new IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
The government will set up the seventh IIM at Shillong, the report said.
Two new schools of Planning and Architecture are also proposed to be started at Vijayawada and Bhopal.
In addition to the existing Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Gwalior, Allahabad and Jabalpur, a new IIIT (Design and Manufacturing) has been approved to be set up at Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, the report said.
The government has set up two Indian Institutes of Scientific Education and Research at Kolkata and Pune. One more such institute will be set up at Mohali, while two more are proposed -- one each in Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram.
Four new Central universities were created last year, the report said.
The University Grants Commission was given a plan budget of Rs 1,269 crore (Rs 12.69 billion) in 2006-07, which was a substantial increase of about 68 per cent over the 2005-06 allocations, it added.
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April 24, 2007 20:56 IST
The government is planning to set up 20 new Indian Institutes of Technology across the country.
The Union HRD ministry has submitted a proposal to this effect to the Planning Commission, its annual report for 2006-07 said.
The Planning Commission has suggested that the setting up of the new IITs could be considered under public-private participation, the report stated.
There are seven Indian Institutes of Technology and six Indian Institutes of Management in the country. The government has recently decided to set up three new IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
The government will set up the seventh IIM at Shillong, the report said.
Two new schools of Planning and Architecture are also proposed to be started at Vijayawada and Bhopal.
In addition to the existing Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Gwalior, Allahabad and Jabalpur, a new IIIT (Design and Manufacturing) has been approved to be set up at Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, the report said.
The government has set up two Indian Institutes of Scientific Education and Research at Kolkata and Pune. One more such institute will be set up at Mohali, while two more are proposed -- one each in Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram.
Four new Central universities were created last year, the report said.
The University Grants Commission was given a plan budget of Rs 1,269 crore (Rs 12.69 billion) in 2006-07, which was a substantial increase of about 68 per cent over the 2005-06 allocations, it added.
Monday, April 23, 2007
State would not tolerate step-motherly attitude by the central government while establishing IIT, AIIMS: Samaja
Lalit Patnaik on Agami Orissa's plans
Dear Friends,
Let's wake up and revive our activities for Delhi Movement. In the mean time there has been some positive response for demand of IIT in Orissa by all Political Parties, irrespective of their Party alliance. It's a very Good sign.
The Intellectuals from different regional HQ'rs are gearing up for the movement. Already Berhampur Intellectuals have conducted a meeting on 11th' April and have invited core member's of Agamee Odisha to the said meeting. Dr Santosh,Prof. Suderson,Dr Namita, Er Ajay, My self and My wife Swagata attended the meeting held at Municipalty GH. All were equivocal in creating a social force in Orissa through Agamee Odisha. They also requested us to take up their local issues like drinking water problem and one Southern Tech university. Regarding water problem the matter has already been taken up and the CE(PHD) Er Dillip Singh is getting a Long Water Pipe Line project for Berhampur approved by Govt.
Sambalpur region is organizing a mass Budhijibi rally on 28th April'07. The rally will march from Church, near GM College by 5 pm and hand over memorandum to Collector demanding IIT and up gradation of UCE, Burla to IIEST status. The memorandum will be for PM through Collector of Sambalpur. The coordinator is Er Ashesh Padhi, Secy Alumni Assn.UCE, Burla and his mobile number is 9437063788. Swabhimani Odia may participate in the rally or ask their friends around Sambalpur to join the rally. Agamee Odisha, bbsr will leave in the intercity express in the morning of 28 th April . Interested person may join at the station.
Agamee Odisha core members are meeting to-day with it's President Mr DK Ray in chair at 6.30 pm at plot 226, kharavela nagar,bbsr. Run up to Delhi march and action plan will be discussed. Interested Members may participate.
Yours,
Truly,
Lalit Pattnaik,
Working President Agamee Odisha
( PS. Today,Indian Express has published an article " Why an IIT In Orissa" by Prof Chitta Baral of Arizona University. It's very timely and we thank Prof. Baral)
Sunday, April 22, 2007
TOI: Opening New IITs
Pankaj Jalote and B N Jain
The government recently said that it would open more Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). While any move in this direction is welcome, the existing model of wholly state-funded IITs is not amenable to increasing the numbers and enhancing quality.
After the first five IITs which came up three to four decades back, the government has set up only one, in Guwahati. But since the 60s, India's population has doubled and numbers of the educated seeking admission have probably gone up tenfold. Unable to cope, the government started renaming existing institutions as IITs. The key difficulty today in starting an IIT is attracting and retaining good faculty.
To attract quality faculty, we need good students, a vibrant research environment and attractive compensation. Good students are available in plenty in India, at least at the undergraduate level. The challenges lie in the other two areas, and they cannot be met by promoting new IITs exclusively in the government sector due to resource and management constraints in the present model.
In an era of public-private partnerships (PPP), it is worth extending the PPP approach to starting new IITs. Private sector dynamism and long-term social commitment of the government can come together to create quality institutes. A modified BOT (build-operate-transfer) model can be applied here.
...
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opening_New_IITs/articleshow/1939900.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Editorial/LEADER_ARTICLE_Opening_New_IITs/articleshow/msid-1939900,curpg-2.cms
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Frequently asked Questions related to the current movement towards an IIT in Orissa
1. Why this FAQ?
When one brings up the topic of establishing an IIT in Orissa MHRD officials, ministers and spokesperson, and even many technical education committee members sometimes retort back: "Why does it matter where an IIT is located as students from any where in India, including from Orissa, can study in an IIT."
Until recently, I thought it was just some thing said and not really meant by the MHRD officials or the technical education committee members. However, a recent exchange of emails with one of the most well respected technologists of India, Mr. K, makes it clear that many influential people in decision making roles sincerely believe that it does not matter where an IIT is located as students from any where in India can study in an IIT. This misconception needs to be cleared up, as otherwise, as we argue below, it will further worsen the existing inequities in India.
Many in Orissa also question why one should focus on getting an IIT to Orissa when there are several other pressing issues in Orissa. In this FAQ we try to address these and related questions.
2. Why does it matter where an IIT is located as students from any where in India, including from Orissa, can study in an IIT no matter where it is located.
(a) If one thinks of an IIT as a place where people go to study and get their degrees and evaluate its impact based on this aspect solely then it does not matter that much where it is located, and Mr. K is right. But an IIT is not just that.
An IIT is an infrastructure and it has and can also have huge impact on the local area (say within 100 kms) of where it is located.
An institution like IIT is (or will be) an engine of growth in and around the place where it is established. Examples abound: Stanford and Berkeley's impact on the Silicon Valley of California; Harvard and MIT's impact on the Boston corridor and our own IISc's impact on Bangalore are testament to this. (Stanford University and MIT have spawned many top-notch companies such as Google, Yahoo, and Bose electronics, all in the vicinity of the university.)
True, many of our existing IITs do not seem to have that much local impact. But that is changing. The example that is often bandied about as an IIT with no local impact, IIT Kharagpur, is now leading in this. It is helping in the development of a Biotech park near it http://economictimes.indiatimes
(http://www.telegraphindia.com
All our IITs will soon have similar and much more local impact and a few decades down the road they could have the impact of a Stanford on Silicon Valley and MIT and Harvard on the Boston corridor.
Moreover, many companies would like to be in a location with an IIT because that provides opportunities for their employees to pursue a higher degree, and because they can collaborate with the IIT faculty and students on cutting edge research. Thus having an IIT makes an otherwise good location a bigger attractor to companies for establishment of branch or for relocation.
(b) At present IITs are India's best graduate schools in engineering. They are the best place, and often are the only place within hundreds of miles, with a comprehensive array of M.Tech and Ph.D programs. In the last decade Orissa has developed 40+ engineering
Colleges (http://orissalinks.googlepages
However if there was an IIT within an hour and half of Bhubaneswar then many of the faculty in the 26 (and growing) odd engineering colleges in and around Bhubaneswar would be able to pursue higher a degree in that IIT without taking complete leave of their job and without relocating.
As a proof that this theory works, we submit the example of the Institute of Physics in Bhubaneswar. It is a national institute admitting students from all over India. However, if one looks at its alumni http://www.iopb.res.in/~alumni
find that a large number of Ph.Ds are from Orissa and many of these Ph.Ds have gone on to be Physics faculty in various colleges in Orissa.
Here we want to state that we do not subscribe that an IIT in Orissa should have any preference or quota for students from Orissa. Its just a fact of life that, especially at the graduate level, for QIP, and for industry sponsored candidates, more local people join take advantage of the opportunity as it is easy for them to do that.
3. After getting convinced by arguments 1 and 2 one may then say that there are many places in India that would ask for an IIT citing the exact reasons as stated in 1 and 2. Why then should Orissa get preference.
This is a good question but with an easy answer. IITs are funded by the ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) of India. A rough calculation detailed at http://equitableindia.org showed that MHRD was scheduled to spend Rs 4.07 on fully funded HRD institutions (like IITs, IIMs, etc.) per person in Orissa, while it will spend Rs 183.08 in Delhi, Rs 41.20 in West Bengal, Rs 33.4 in Karnataka, Rs 27 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 28.38 in Maharastra, Rs 17.73 in UP, Rs 16.05 in Andhra, Rs 33.27 in Punjab, Rs 8.13 in Haryana, Rs 7.90 in Kerala, Rs 9.02 in MP, Rs 4.87 in Gujurat, Rs 2.59 in Rajasthan, and Rs 1.87 in Bihar. In other words Bihar, Rajasthan and Orissa were at the bottom of per-capita spending by MHRD in its fully funded higher education institutions. Now that IITs have been allotted to Bihar and Rajasthan, it is imperative that the next IIT
should have been allotted to Orissa. Since Orissa was skipped over, to correct this injustice an IIT should be immediately allotted to Orissa.
3a. But the central government is already establishing a NISER in Bhubaneswar.
(i) NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) will have mainly science disciplines. An IIT's focuses are technological and engineering disciplines. So having a NISER does not overcome the need for an IIT.
(ii) NISER is funded by Dept. of Atomic Energy and not by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Not only most other states have multiple fully MHRD funded institutions (such as IIT, IISER, IIM and Central University in West Bengal; IIT, IISER and Central Universities in Maharashtra, etc.) but two of the three states that have been picked for the greenfield IITs have been simultaneously granted other institutes that are funded by MHRD or other ministries. For example, Andhra Pradesh has been granted two MHRD funded IIESTs (Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology), which are referred to as IIT clones, a Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers funded NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research) like institute and an Indian Institute of Public Health. Similarly, Bihar has also been granted a NIPER like institute.
4. Some people question that there are so many issues in Orissa, and why should the people pick establishing an IIT as a high priority item at this point of time.
Due to the way the central government of India collects its taxes and distributes it to states, states always have to ask this and that from the central government. When an injustice happens the states have a much bigger moral authority to demand and as a result
if the demand is kept up then there is a high chance that the state will succeed in getting its demand granted.
In case of IIT, TOI reported that Union minister of state for HRD MAA Fatmi on 28-8-06 said, "The proposal for one IIT for Bihar and two for Orissa and one Western Indian state besides one IIIT to Bihar will be included in 11th Five Year Plan." With respect to Orissa he probably referred to one of the 3 new IITs proposed to be in the 11th plan and a branch campus of IIT KGP in BBSR. However, later news reports say that the 3 new IITs will be in Bihar, Rajasthan and AP. Thus a huge injustice has been done to Orissa and Orissa has a high moral ground to pursue the correction of this injustice.
5. Some people say that one of the main goal of making an IIT is to create world class institutions in India and the locations should be based on that.
We agree and will argue that a location within an hour or hour and half of Bhubaneswar (note: 1.5 hours one way is a typical commute from home to office in Mumbai) is a perfect location for an IIT.
(a) Bhubaneswar is well connected to cities and towns all over India.
Considering only non-stop or one-stop without plane changes, Bhubaneswar has 5 daily flights to Delhi, 3 to Calcutta, 3 to Hyderabad, 2 to Mumbai, 2 to Chennai, 2.3 to Bangalore, 1 to Vizag, and partial connections to Ranchi and Raipur. More details are at http://orissalinks.googlepages
Bhubaneswar has multiple daily direct trains to Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, a daily train to Mumbai, and trains to all corners of India (Guwahati, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Jaipur, Punjab, Rishikesh, Kanpur, Lucknow, Benras, Patna, Raipur, Bhopal, etc.) A map of Bhubaneswar's railway connectivity is at http://orissalinks1.googlepages
(b) The Bhubaneswar area has sustained high quality research and educational institutions such as Institute of Physics, Institute of Life Sciences and Xaviers Institute of Mangament, and has many universities such as Utkal University, Orissa university of Agriculture and Technology, Utkal University of Culture, Ravenshaw University. Moreover, recently several several high profile higher education institutions have found the area to be suitable. This includes the proposed NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research), the proposed Vedanta University (near Puri) and the proposed university by the Art of Living trust of Shri Shri Ravishankar. Thus there is no reason why an area within 1 to 1.5 hours of Bhubaneswar is not suitable for an IIT.
(c) A world class institution needs local goodwill to grow and blossom. When there is a need then the local people will appreciate and help an institution like IIT located in their midst. Earlier, we established the need of an IIT in Orissa. Thus the people of Orissa, because of their need, will appreciate and help in the growth of an IIT in Orissa.
5b. Is Orissa industrialized enough? Are there industries in Orissa that will be benefited by an IIT?
Although Orissa is behind many other states in terms of industrialization, in recent years there has been tremendous industrial growth in Orissa and an IIT is necessary to nurture, support and amplify that growth. Besides existing industries such SAIL Rourkela, NALCO, NTPC, MCL, etc., following is a short list on new industry coming up in Orissa during the last three years:
(i) Metal Sector: 45 projects over 70 mtpa of steel (22 of them partly commissioned) with more than US$45 billion investment; 4 new aluminum complexes and 1 mtpa aluminium smelter capacity under implementation with US$10 billion investment and rare earth projects worth US$0.5 billion. The investors in this sector include POSCO, Arcelor-Mittal, Tata Steel, Bhusan, Jindal, Essar, Hindalco, Vedanta, L&T Dubal etc.
(ii) Chemical and Petrochemical: 15 mtpa US$6 billion mega petrochemical by IOC; Deepak Fertilizers implementing 2 chemical projects at Paradeep, etc.
(iii) Energy and power: 13 thermal power projects under implementation with capacity of 13,500 MW with investment of US$14 billion and Reliance Industry hydrocarbon based power generation and gas grid (US$1.5Bn). The investors include Tata Power, Reliance energy, Sterlite energy, Mahanadi Aban, Monnet Ispat, Essar power, Lanco group, NavBharat Power, CESC and GMR energy.
(iv) Ports: 2 new ports are under construction at Dhamara and Gopalpur and three others at Jatadhari, Kirtania and Astaranga are in the pipeline with MOUs on them signed.
(v) IT: Infosys, Satyam, TCS, Wipro, Genepact, Mindtree, Hexaware, etc.
6. Since you have mentioned Bhubaneswar so many times, are you saying that the greenfield IIT in Orissa should be located in Bhubaneswar. Is Orissa just Bhubaneswar?
My personal preference for a greenfield IIT is a place in the Ganjam district of South Orissa (which is one of the most backward area of India) at a place within 1-1.5 hours of Bhubaneswar on NH-5 and 30-40 minutes of Berhampur on NH-5, the major town in South Orissa. This location will be the best of both worlds, close enough to Bhubaneswar to avail of all the opportunities there and help the 29+ engineering colleges in the Bhubaneswar-Berhampur corridor and yet in south Orissa and close to South Orissa's major city so as to impact the backward South Orissa region in many other ways. An IIT at such a location will help build a Bhubaneswar-Berhampur hi-tech corridor.
Moreover, the other major metropolitan area of Orissa, Rourkela has an NIT. Among the other larger towns and locality, Sambalpur has the Burla Engineering College, which the state and the people are pursuing to make into an IIEST (Indian Institute of Engineering Sc. And Technology) and the North Orissa towns (Balasore and Baripada) are within an hour and half of IIT Kharagpur.
The KBK districts and Gajapati are still left out. Gajapati is adjacent to Ganjam. In the future this proposed IIT in Ganjam may establish small branches and extension centers in KBK towns such as Rayagada, Koraput, Bhawanipatna and Titlagarh. Moreover, for these districts the Orissa government is pursuing and will continue pursuing a multi-campus KBK Central University.
7. What can I do?
Please spread the word among your Oriya friends.
No matter where you are you can write to the Prime minister, the HRD minister, UPA Chair person, the CM, the Orissa MPs, journalists, etc. about this. Please keep tab at http:/iitorissa.org for more suggestions, addresses etc.
If you are in Orissa (especially Bhubaneswar) please join hands with Agami Orissa. http://groups.yahoo.com/group
If you are in Delhi, please help in Agami Orissa's program in Delhi.
If you are in other cities in India, please spread the word among other Oriyas, draft a letter and have it signed by local Oriyas and mail it to the PM. (If you are in a state capital, you may consider presenting the letter to the Governor and have this news item published.)
If you are abroad, but in a city with an Indian Consulate, please draft a letter (sample letters are at http://iitorissa.org) and get it signed by local Oriyas and present it to the Consul general with request to send it to the PM. (Send one directly to the PM too.) Tell the local media about it and try to get the news published.
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