Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) here today.

The institute will commence its operations from the next academic year. The state Government has allotted 209 acres of land to the institute in the premises of Hyderabad University.

During his day-long visit, Dr Singh will also inaugurate the 21st general meeting of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS).

He will also give away the India Science Prize to renowned statistician C. R. Rao and 2010 TWAS prizes and medals to other scientists.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) has said it would protest against allotment of over 209 acres of land to TIFR during Dr. Singh’s visit to the University. “We urge the Prime Minister to cancel his programme to lay the foundation stone of the TIFR campus. If he comes here, people would see what would happen,” said CPI(M) leader P Madhu.

CPI(M) State Secretary B V Raghvulu had earlier written a letter to the Prime Minister to cancel his programme to lay the foundation for TIFR campus as the students and academic staff had reservations over the land allotment.

The central university authorities, however, clarified that land had been allotted to TIFR, a central government’s institute of excellence wholly-funded by Department of Atomic Energy, and not to any private institute.

According to TIFR officials, the Hyderabad campus will have world-class labs and facilities to put India in the forefront of research in the emerging areas of science. It plans to accommodate 200 permanent faculty, 1,000 students and 300 post-doctoral researchers.

TIFR, which was founded by Homi J. Bhabha June 1, 1945, with the support of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, has already entered into memorandum of understanding with the University of Hyderabad to facilitate collaborative research. (ANI)