ALUMNI NEWSMAKERS

Friday, February 10, 2006

Prof. Dilip Banerji (BT/EE/65) is one of the three University of Guelph professors who have been named among 90 "Pioneers of Computing" by the IBM Centers for Advanced Studies and the National Research Council. The honor recognizes individuals who have influenced the history of computing. All the three professors have been involved in numerous aspects of computing science, from founding university computing science departments in the 1960s and 1970s to groundbreaking research in artificial intelligence, networking and various programming languages. A University of Guelph faculty member since 1983, Prof. Banerji called for reuse of existing designs, instead of building new ones from scratch, in computer-aided design of microelectronics to make computer chips. At that time, chip makers routinely threw out earlier designs for microelectronic components and built new ones from scratch. He argued that it would be less costly and more efficient to reuse existing designs an argument that met with stiff industry opposition. "Fifteen years later, everybody is doing what we proposed" Prof. Banerji said. Earlier, Prof. Banerji worked with Bell-Northern Research (now Nortel Networks) and with AT&T Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. In 1978, he was invited back to India to help establish the country's first dedicated computer science department at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

Friday, February 10, 2006

C. N. R. Rao, Chairman, BOG, IITK, received the India Science Award, from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, at the inaugural function of the 93rd Science Congress at Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad, for his path-breaking work in solid state and materials chemistry. This award carries Rs. 25 lakh in cash, a gold medal, and a citation, and is the highest honor in the field of science in India. Prof. Rao is the first recipient of this award.

Monday, December 26, 2005

When the great Asian tsunami slammed into the Tamil Nadu coast on December 26, 2004, the devastation that India's southernmost district Kanyakumari witnessed was indescribable. Twelve days later, as survivors were still picking up the threads of their lives, Sunil Paliwal took over the Kanyakumari collector. A software engineer, Paliwal brought a rare human face to the high position he occupied. In the ensuing days, Paliwal made it a point to meet every person who came to him for help, paying attention to their woes, while at the same time explaining to them the limitations within which the problems had be solved. For those who know him, it was no surprise that the people of Kanyakumari were the first among the tsunami-hit to move out of temporary shelters into permanent houses. Paliwal agrees that the rehabilitation process should be time-bound and must be completed as soon as possible. And Kanyakumari knows he will leave no stone unturned till that's done.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

At the 23rd Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner which was held on November 17th and for only the second time an Asian American was honored. Dr. Kedar Gupta, (M.S.71, Ph.D. 73), founder of GT Equipment Technologies (GTi) http://www.gtequipment.com/, was chosen for the Distinguished Benefactor Award for all that he has given back to Stony Brook! Having just graduated from IIT Kanpur, on the trip from India Kedar met Chandra Khattak, another grad student on his way to Stony Brook. Although strangers on the plane, from that meeting they would be roommates in Roth, in the same department, have the same advisor, and become lifelong friends. Chandra was at the dinner to celebrate too. Kedar said Chandra was a meaningful part of his success that Chandras work and ideas were incorporated into GTis products. Kedar's idea of simple living is an achievement few attain but it is the classic immigrant success story that defines America and as the SUNY center closest to the give me your? premiere city of immigrants - defines the Asian American student and faculty community at Stony Brook as well. But Kedar took it a step further. He joined in the great American tradition of philanthropy. Currently working with Yacov Shamash, CEAS Dean, he has given huge monetary donations (hundreds of thousands), created a scholarship, gives internships to undergrads, and hires alumni!

Thursday, December 15, 2005

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, had a wired Local Area Network (LAN) of 6,500 nodes in the academic and hostel areas. Navpreet Singh, Network Manager, Computer Centre, IIT Kanpur explains, "The importance of information-sharing, convenience of information processing and need for mobility meant users could not be tied-down to their desktops. We have a lot of visitors and students who own Wi-Fi enabled notebooks." The IIT conducts numerous conferences and has several conference rooms and auditoriums. Its conferences are visited by delegates toting Wi-Fi enabled notebooks. Singh points out, "Earlier users could only connect their notebooks to the Internet through wires. This restricted the number of users who could access the Internet at any given period of time." Wireless connectivity is available to anybody having a notebook with a wireless card or a PCMCIA card. IIT Kanpur has a constant flow of visitors the year round. Today it is in a position to provide flexible Wi-Fi connectivity to them free of cost. No strict security parameters have been kept for the Wi-Fi network as it is likely to hamper the flexibility of connection for the users. Singh says, "The Wi-Fi zone is a public domain and all the APs are open ones barring the few critical areas such as the computer centre. Since there are so many visiting delegates it would add to their discomfort if there is an authentication exercise at each and every area of the campus."

Monday, November 21, 2005

Shivendu, the health, family and medical education secretary, has the distinction of cracking three of the most dreaded examinations of the student fraternity — the IIT, IIM and the IAS entrance tests. After having passed out of IIT, Kanpur, in 1981, he entered the hallowed portals of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. But he did not stop to rest on his laurels and took a shot at the IAS examinations, which he cleared with flying colours in 1984. Shivendu, joined the department about four months back and since then has been striving to streamline its functioning. His colleagues term him as a methodical, sincere and dedicated worker.