Contribution of Al Haytham to science and Scientific Method

The year 2015 was celebrated as the International year of light and light based technologies. One among its many objectives, was to celebrate the legacy of Ibn AlHaytham the Arab polymath. The year 2015 actually marks the 1000th anniversary since the appearance of the remarkable seven volume treatise on optics Kitab al-Manazir written by Ibn al Haytham. Born around a thousand years ago in Iraq, AlHasan Ibn alHaytham was a pioneering scientific thinker who made important contributions to the understanding of vision, optics and light. Ibn alHaytham, started not only the traditional theme of optical research but also new ones such as meteorological optics, catoptrics, burning mirrors, dioptrics, the burning sphere and physical optics. Apart from optics Ibn al-Haytham made significant advances in mathematics and astronomy.

His work on optics was characterised by a strong emphasis on carefully designed experiments to test theories and hypotheses. His methodology of investigation using experiment to verify theory is the precursor of the modern scientific method. Ibn alHaytham's work was remarkable for its emphasis on proof and evidence. Ibn alHaytham articulated some remarkably sophisticated statements on the practice of science and the growth of scientific knowledge. In a critical treatise ‘AlShukūk ‛alā Batlamyūs’ he asserts that "Truth is sought for itselfbut the truths are immersed in uncertainties and the scientific authorities are not immune from error…. Nor is human nature itself". Therefore, the seeker after the truth is not one who studies the writings of the ancients and, following his natural disposition, puts his trust in them, but rather the one who suspects his faith in them and questions what he gathers from them, the one who submits to argument and demonstration and not to the sayings of a human being whose nature is fraught with all kinds of imperfection and deficiency. Thus the duty of the man who investigates the writings of scientists is to make himself an enemy of all that he reads and applying his mind to the core and margins of its content, attack it from every side. He should also suspect himself as he performs his critical examination of it, so that he may avoid falling into either prejudice or leniency. This is what the modern scientific method is all about. Latin translations of some of his works have influenced important Medieval and European Renaissance thinkers like Roger Bacon, René Descartes and Christian Huygens, who knew him as Alhazen.

Ibn alHaytham was born in the year 965 in Basra, and died in about 1040 in Cairo. During his years in Egypt he composed one of his most celebrated works, the Kitab al-Manazir. Ibn al Haytham undertook a systematic critique of all previous ideas about vision in order to demonstrate by both reason and experiment that light was a crucial and independent part of the visual process. He concluded that vision takes place when a light ray issued from a luminous source or reflected from a non luminous body enters the eye. Through his studies of earlier work by Galen and others, he gave names to several parts of the eye, such as the lens, the retina and the cornea. In fact the word lens comes from the Latin translation of the term ‘Adsa’ used by Ibn alHaytham because a doubleconvex lens is lentil (Masur Daal) shaped. The genus of the lentil plant is Lens, and the most commonly eaten species is Lens culinaris. Ibn alHaytham explained the nature of light and vision, using a dark chamber or the concept of pinhole camera. Alhazen offered an explanation of the Moon illusion. He also carried out the first experiments on the dispersion of light into its constituent colours and studied shadows, rainbows and eclipses; and by observing the way sunlight diffracted through the atmosphere, he was able to work out a rather good estimate for the height of the atmosphere, which he found to be around 100 km.

His other extant books related to the subject of light include: A Discourse on Light (al Daw), The Light of the Moon (Ḍawʾ al-qamar), The Light of the Stars, The Rainbow and the Halo (al-Hāla wa qaws quzaḥ), Spherical Burning Mirrors, Parabolic Burning Mirrors, The Burning Sphere, The Shape of the Eclipse (Ṣūrat al-kusūf) and the Formation of Shadows .

The crater Alhazen on the Moon is named in his honour, as is the asteroid 59239 Alhazen.

My tryst with Libraries

The general perception of libraries is as repository of learning resources like manuscripts, books, periodicals, journals, letters, microfilms and CDs. There are libraries of all kinds such as public libraries, academic libraries or specific libraries such as Gandhi Sangrahalyas which preserves documents related to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi. There are however libraries which preserve scientific models and instruments as well. As such they become  useful  in understanding the history of development of science, technology and entrepreneurship. In this article my personal quest in understanding the development of astronomy and the subsequent entrepreneurship of crafting astronomical instrument in certain regions of India has been outlined. David Sassoon library of Mumbai is perhaps  a unique library which has been established by entrepreneurs for the promotion of craftsmanship. History of everything particularly science, technology and education fascinates me. Recently I developed interest in ancient astronomical instruments. In that connection I came to know that there are two libraries in India which preserve Astronomical Instruments. A small collection of unique medieval scientific instruments are kept in Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library at Patna. Another  collection of scientific instruments are preserved at Raza Library, Rampur. All these instruments have been catalogued by great Sanskrit scholar R S Sarma. Two years ago I had the opportunity of visiting Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public library in Patna to examine the Astronomical Instruments. While examining the instruments I became interested in history of public libraries. Last year I visited  David Sassoon library and reading room in Mumbai which was initially established as museum of mechanical models and architectural design. 

Raza Library, Rampur was founded by Nawab Faizullah Khan in 1774.  It contains very rare and valuable collection of manuscripts, historical documents, specimens of Islamic calligraphy, miniature paintings, astronomical instruments and rare illustrated works in Arabic and Persian languages besides 80,000 printed books. Rampur's Raza Library also contains printed works in Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Pashto, Tamil and Turkish, and approximately 30,000 printed books  in various other languages. Nawab Faizullah Khan established the library with his personal modest collection kept in the Tosha Khana of his Palace. Successive Nawabs like Ahmad Ali khan,  Muhammad Yusuf  and  Kalbe Ali Khan also enriched the collection. Nawab Mohammad Saeed Khan  created a separate department for the library and shifted the collection to new rooms. The Nawab invited well known calligraphers, illuminators and binders from Kashmir and other parts of India. The Library has now attained an International status of higher studies. There are old art objects and rare astronomical instruments in the library. The oldest instrument of the collection is an Astrolabe made by Siraj Damashqi in 1218. Chronologically the next instrument is a Celestial globe crafted by Muhammad Ibn Jaffar at Kirman. Another astrolabe designed by Ziauddin Muhammad of Lahore and undated  mariner's astrolabe are also very important. There are about 100 rare manuscripts, paintings and astrolabes in the online gallery of library. India post issued a set of four commemorative stamps on 19.6.2009.

The history of David Sassoon Library is very fascinating. In 1847 a few young mechanics working in the Royal Mint and Government Dockyard decided to form an association to promote knowledge and learning. The association's objectives at that time were to set up a library and museum of mechanical models and architectural designs, as well as to organize lectures and discussions on science and technology. Thus was born the Sassoon Mechanic's Institute. In 1863, Sir David Sassoon, a Jewish philanthropist originally from Baghdad and  a leading banker of Mumbai, contributed Rupees sixty thousand  to the government to build a Mechanic's Institute. However, with the stoppage of the annual grant by the Imperial Government, its activities gradually came to a standstill, until the institute was reduced to its present state, namely a library and a reading room. Consequently in March 1938, the Sassoon Mechanics' Institute was rechristened the David Sassoon Library and Reading Room. The library is housed in Venetian Gothic styled structure, completed in 1870.The Library has been listed as a Grade heritage structure as per the Heritage Regulations of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation .The library's main assets are the rare books. Some of the books in the library's treasure are published way back in the year 1798.The Library houses about 40,000 books in English, Marathi, Gujarati and Hindi and is open all 365 days a year from 8 in the morning till 9 at night. India post issued a commemorative stamp in 1998.

Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna was open for the public in October 1891 with 4000 Oriental manuscripts. Maulvi  Khuda Bakhsh donated his entire collection to the nation by a deed of trust. Some of the notable manuscripts are Timur Nama,  Shah Nama, PadshahNama, Diwan-e-Hafiz and Safinatul Auliya, carrying the autograph of Mughal Emperors and princes and the book of Military Accounts of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The library offers several digitized manuscripts in downladable PDF format. It also offers two digitized albums on scientific instruments and Patna Qalam painting. The first album shows all the twelve unique and rare scientific instruments.  These are undoubtedly an important source for the study and reconstruction of science and technology in the pre-Modern period. They also provide an insight into the development of sciences like astronomy, surgery and geography in pre-Modern India. Apart from it the library also has specimens of Mughal paintings, sound recordings, maps, stamps, letters of eminent personality,  calligraphy and book decoration and Arabic and Urdu manuscripts including a page of Quran written on deer skin.  Since 1977 the library has been publishing regularly a multi-lingual research quarterly Khuda Bakhsh Library Journal. India post issued a commemorative stamp on  21.11.1994 which shows an oriental rug of Taj Mahal as motif preserved in the library.

These libraries are result of vision, passion and dedication of some committed people whether Nawabs,  philanthropist, bibliophile or ordinary mechanics. There is not much literature available on history of public libraries in India or their contribution in education entrepreneurship and culture. The scientific instruments preserved at Rampur Raza library and Khuda Bakhskh library are undoubtedly an important source for the study and reconstruction of science and technology in the pre-Modern period. They also provide an insight into the development of sciences like astronomy, surgery and geography in pre-Modern India.  It may be noted that these are the areas of scientific study in which the Islamic world made the most memorable contribution in the medieval ages and that the Indian subcontinent constituted an important centre for such studies, even after the glory of Baghdad, Maghreb and Spain had come to end.  As such, these antiques constitute an essential part of our heritage.  Significantly, Patna was a well-known centre for making sundials in the 19th century. Interestingly, a very large number of  manuscripts in Khuda Bakhsh library  relate to science and mathematics. Studies may be conducted on these aspects.  Case studies may be undertaken on role of David Sassoon library in promotion of indigenous technology, craftsmanship and entrepreneurship in pre independence Mumbai. 

The Directive on the restriction of hazardous substances in electronic goods

We are living in an electronic age. We have e-mail, e-banking, e-business, e-books, e-medicine (telemedicine) and so on. The e-products like laptops and cellular phones have penetrated the society in a big way.  However majority of users of these products are unaware of presence of hazardous chemicals in electronic goods. The Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment was adopted in 2003 by the European Union.  The RoHS-directive, restricts the use of six hazardous materials (viz., lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, PBB and PDBE) in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment.

PBB and PBDE are brominated flame retardants used in several plastics.  BFR release dioxins and furans which are neurotoxins. A long term exposure of these substances may lead to damage of Nervous system, Kidney, Bones, Reproductive System and Endocrine system.

Instead of indulging in innovation and R&D to design out toxic chemicals the electronics companies are busy in selling their hazardous products through aggressive marketing.  Consumers and Ministry of consumer’s affairs seem woefully ignorant of these issues. There is no ‘Jago grahak Jago’ campaign on RoHS directive or its exemption.

However the trend of going green and manufacturing clean products free from hazardous chemicals is slowly picking up. Consumers are becoming more informed and aware. They prefer green and clean products. Green labeling of e-products should be initiated for helping consumer in selection.

Hazardous chemicals should be substituted with safer alternatives. Several companies are launching safer products. Motorola launched BFR free cell phones. In India HCL and Wipro are complying with RoHS directive which promotes phasing out of six deadly substances viz., Pb, Hg, Cr, Cadmium, and two BFRs in e-products. 

Report on ISCC 2014

The 14th Indian Science Communication Congress (ISCC-2014) on the theme of ‘Communication Strategies for Science Governance’ was held at Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi from 25-29 December. The conference was organized by Indian Science Writers Association (ISWA) in association with  Jan Sewa Ashram, Water Portal and Spandan. It was catalyzed and supported by National Council of Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), DST New Delhi.

The conference was inaugurated in the morning of 26 th December by ceremonial lighting of lamp by chief guest Mr. Anil Saumitra of Spandan, Mr VP Singh secretary ISWA, Dr VK Srivastav Chair ISCC 2014 and Dr Manoj K Patairiya, Convener ISCC 2014. The inaugural Session was conducted by Mr. Tariq Badr from ISWA. In his inaugural address Dr Patairiya who is ADG, Prasar Bharti elaborated on the theme of congress. Science governance which is also termed as soft science is nothing but the management of science. It prepares us for future and saves us from science misconduct. Dr Patairiya pointed that it is a pleasant coincidence that conference on ‘Science Governance’ is inaugurated on the ‘Good Governance Day’. Mr Anil  Saumitra from Spandan an NGO emphasized on the role of science communication in development. Mr VP Singh secretary ISWA elaborated on the role of ISWA and ISCC on science communication movement in India. The inaugural session ended with a vote of thanks by Dr VK Srivastav Chair ISCC 2014. Around 200 scientists, science writers, academicians,  science correspondents and students participated in the congress.

Several topics  were discussed and deliberations made during the conference “ Communication Strategies for Science Governance ”, which was the focal theme of ISCC-2014. The deliberations  covered a wide range of sub themes, such as Science for people, science for policy makers, Institutional strategies, Policy issues, scientists as communicators, session for young scholars et al.

The first scientific session of the conference was an exhibition session chaired by Dr Lal Singh from NCERT, New Delhi. The delegates got an opportunity to see the various issues of Indian journal of Science communication. Dr. Chandra Mohan interacted on an environment friendly fruit wash technology which is cost effective and increases the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. The main highlight of the session was a demonstration on Braille rendition of a popular science magazine in Hindi (Braille) for visually impaired. The magazine edited by Dr Chandra Mohan is a first of its kind. The outcome of the session was summarized by Dr RS Yadav from AIR who is an old associate of ISCC.

The first scientific session on the theme ‘Science for people’  began with a presentation by Bharti Bhojak on the challenges  opportunities in science communication through regional languages with a special emphasis on Hindi news papers and magazines. The presentation by VK Muliya was an innovative method of communicating science through science cartoons. Dr Rita malik highlighted the history of science communication down the ages. Mr CB Devgun elaborated the efforts of SPACE an NGO on taking the science to the people through Citizen Science concept. The summary of the session was presented by rapporteur Dr Anshu Arora from Punjab University.

The evening session of the first day was chaired by Dr Prabha Sharma a young researcher and science communicator. The session began with a presentation on green technologies and green buildings which is a very important concept and needs to be disseminated among common masses. The next presentation was on MOOCS- a new frontier in science communication by Dr Umesh Arya. The other presentation was on Role of Community media on health issues with special emphasis on mental health by Dr Anukaran Dutta.

The second day of the 14th Indian Science Communication Congress 2014 began with a scientific session on the theme `Institutional Strategies’. The first speaker Dr. N. Bajpai emphasized the importance and means of science communication for humanities students. It was followed by a talk by Dr. S.P. Mahendra, who presented a study on science content in the print media, based on research conducted in Dausa district in Rajasthan. Ms. Kalpana Sangwan commented on the changing role of teachers and need for developing scientific attitude in students. Dr. Seemin Rubab talked about the INSPIRE science camps and described the students’ response in three camps. She emphasized that these camps offer a unique opportunity to practicing scientists for communicating their area of research and work in simple language to higher secondary students.  The last talk of the session was by Ms. Nisha Sharma, an M. Sc. student from Lucknow University, who presented a survey based study on the scientific temper at a village in UP. Dr. Smita Mishra beautifully summarized the talks presented in the session.

The second session on the theme `Policy Issue’ began with a talk by Dr. Mahendra Kumar Pandey, on conceptualizing an effective science communication policy, for development- sustainability with special emphasis in the Indian context.

The second presentation was by Sri J. Ashok Kumar, who discussed on the scope of attracting young talent to science. Mr. A.S.D Rajput threw light on importance of science communication in good governance. A talk highlighting the role of regional languages in science communication was given by Dr. Gopal Singh. Sri Birat Raja Pradhan presented a study analyzing role of science communication in health sectors. The last talk of the session was by Dr. I. K. Mishra on e-governance and the impact of new media technologies on society. The session was chaired by Dr. Ankuran Dutta and Dr. S. R. Dixit acted as rapporteur.

The post lunch session on scientists as communicators was chaired by Prof. B K. Kuthiala the vice-chancellor of MLC University of journalism. The first talk was by Dr. Puneet Kumar from Lucknow University, who threw light on the concept of weblog. He explained as to how a scientist can communicate in an easy way by creating a blog and initiating a dialogue. Dr. A.S.D Rajput discussed on the scope of interaction of scientists with the masses. The last talk of the session was by Dr. Anamika Ray, who talked on the consequences of open education resources in scientific research. The session ended with a summary of talks by the rapporteur Dr. Seemin Rubab and in depth analysis by the chair. One of the most important points emphasized by Prof Kuthiala is that instead of talking about nature we should initiate dialogue with nature.

After tea,  began the last session of the day which was specially designated for the young scholars. The first talk was by Shalini Singh on hygiene awareness among housemaids in Lucknow. The second talk was from Kanishka Singh on role of science communication in control of river pollution. The analysis was done for water pollution in Gomti river in Lucknow. It was followed by a presentation by Alakh Sharma who presented a study of causes behind poor response to gadgets using solar energy. The concluding talk was from Ms. Aparna Singh on dissemination of scientific researches carried out at Lucknow University. It was followed by a talk from Manisha Pandit on comparative analysis of two English dailies the Hindu and Indian Express on coverage of Mars Mission.

A puppet show on science communication was  presented by Gaurav Sharma, Khushboo Sharma, Ankit Awasthi, Anjali Sharma, Surya Teja and Shahshank on `A Night of the Scorpion’. The session’s outcome was highlighted by rapporteur Sri Anoop Chaturvedi. The session Chair,  Prof KK Kapoor of Jammu University emphasized the importance of the session as an incubator of future science communicators.

The third day of the conference started with Poster session under the chairmanship of Dr Gopal Singh. The main attraction of the third day’s proceedings was the split group discussion under the chairmanship of  Dr Subhan Khan retired scientist from CSIR-NISTADS. All the participants were divided into five groups under the guidance of group leaders to discuss ways and means to make science communication widespread and effective in India. After brainstorming the group leaders submitted their recommendations to the chair. The recommendations were summarized by Dr AK Singh, the rappoerteur of the session.

Post lunch sessions of final day was panel discussion session under the chair of Dr VK Srivastav of  ICMR.

Dr AS Yadav presented the ISCC 2014 report during post lunch session. During valedictory session several science communicators like Mr Kesar Singh of  Water portal, Mr RD Rikahri former editor Scientific Temper, Mr Sripal Sangwan, Senior Agriculturist, Mr Khalil former editor ‘science ki Dunya’ urdu quarterly

were felicitated. Best papers from all the five sessions were also awarded during valedictory. Dr PK Verma, chief guest opined that there should be different levels of science communication. He also stressed the need to conserve and popularize tribal wisdom. He talked about the science communication initiatives like ‘Kaarigar Vigyan’ and Media Chaupal, senior scientist science forum etc taken at Madhya Pradesh council of science and Technology under his directorship. Dr MC Tiwari, head international boundaries, MEA, guest of honour stressed on targeting children during science communication efforts. Dr VK Srivastav in his presidential address deliberated on the need for science communication in regional language in a multilingual country like India. Dr Manoj Patairiya proposed vote of thanks to the organizers and participants. Post tea session was restricted to ISWA members only for AGM. The conference ended with the dinner and networking of various stakeholders.

A tribute to Abu al-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahrawi

Throughout Muslim world, the year 2013 was observed as 1000th year of al-Zahrawi’s death. In India also a three-day International Conference and exhibition on ‘Revisiting Abul Qasim Al-Zahrawi's Legacy in Medicine and Surgery’ was organized on December 13-15, 2013 at India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi. It was jointly organized by The Institute of Objective Studies, in collaboration with MESCO and Maulana Azad Education Foundation, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India. It was sponsored by India Islamic Cultural Centre and others. The organizers also proposed the establishment of an al-Zahrawi museum in India to display editions of most of his works and replicas of his surgical tools, large facsimile editions of his drawings and other memorabilia. These types of conferences need to be organized regularly so the present day Muslim youth should become aware and get inspired of their scientific legacy.

Abū Al-Qāsim was, born in 936 CE in the city El-Zahra, six miles northwest of Qartaba in  Al-Andalus or Spain. Al Zahrawi was an Arab Muslim physician and surgeon who  was a court physician to the Andalusian caliph Al-Hakam II. He was a contemporary of Andalusian chemists such as Ibn al-Wafid, Maslamah Ibn Ahmad al-Majriti. He devoted his entire life and genius to the advancement of medicine as a whole and surgery in particular. Abū al-Qāsim specialized in curing disease by cauterization. He invented several devices used during surgery, for purposes such as inspection of the interior of the urethra, applying and removing foreign bodies from the throat, inspection of the ear, etc. He is also credited to be the first to describe ectopic pregnancy in 963 CE, in those days a fatal affliction.  He was the first physician to identify the hereditary nature of haemophilia. Al-Zahrawi was the first to illustrate the various cannulae and the first to treat a wart with an iron tube and caustic metal as a boring instrument. He was also the first to draw hooks with a double tip for use in surgery. He introduced over 200 surgical instruments.  Abū al-Qāsim also invented the forceps for extracting a dead fetus. In pharmacy and pharmacology, Abū al-Qāsim al-Zahrawī pioneered the preparation of medicines by sublimation and distillation. 

Many consider al Zahrawi as father of modern surgery. Al-Zehrawi  made original and enduring contributions to medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology and orthopaedics, pharmacology, dentistry and cosmetology. Highly sophisticated surgical instruments of today are sometimes merely a new generation of the surgical instruments’ prototypes of al-Zahrawi. Diagnostic, clinical and surgical procedures established by al-Zahrawi are, even today, present in some measure or form in medical and surgical practice. His greatest contribution to medicine is the Kitab al-Tasrif  a thirty-section encyclopedia of medical practices. It was completed 13 years before his death in 1013 CE. It covered a broad range of medical topics, including dentistry and childbirth, which contained data that had accumulated during a career that spanned almost 50 years of training, teaching and practice. In it he also wrote of the importance of a positive doctor-patient relationship.  It was later translated into Latin  by Gerard of Cremona in the 12th century. A copy of Kitab al Tasrif is available in Khuda Bakhsh Oriental library of Patna.

Al-Zahrawi’s whole life is the finest example of service to humans and service to knowledge. Knowledge and skill are the foundations on which civilisations are built. The contribution of al-Zahrawi is recognised world-wide as immense. Throughout world, al-Zahrawi is regarded as another Hippocrates who came a millennium and a half later. Many countries have issued commemorative postage stamps in honour of his legacy.

International year of crystallography

Present year is being celebrated as International year of crystallography to commemorate the centennial of X-ray diffraction and the award of Nobel Prize to Laue and Bragg. It also marks the 400 th anniversary of Keplar's observation in 1611 of the symmetrical form of ice crystals. Many countries throughout world have released commemorative postage stamps and coins on this occasion. The commemorative postage stamp issued by India post (Fig 1) depicts a diamond crystal and the structure of curcumin, the active constituent of turmeric, as determined by X-ray crystallography. The diamond is known for its exceptional hardness and the flashes of light given off by its natural crystal structure. Curcumin is the compound responsible for the bright orange colour of turmeric. lt is known to exhibit biological, pharmaceutical and wide-ranging pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti carcinogenic. The stamp was released on 30 January 2014, in the Indian Institute of Science.

The study of crystals inner structure and properties gives us our deepest insight into the arrangement of atoms in the solid state. In the early 20th century, it was realized that X-rays could be used to ‘see’ the structure of matter in a non-intrusive manner. This marks the dawn of modern crystallography. When X-rays hit an object, the object’s atoms scatter the beams. Scientists discovered that crystals, because of their regular arrangement of atoms, scattered the rays in just a few specific directions. By measuring these directions and the intensity of the scattered beams, scientists are able to produce a three-dimensional picture of the crystal’s atomic structure. Thanks to X-ray crystallography, scientists can study the chemical bonds which draw one atom to another. Graphite and diamonds are composed of carbon but have different crystalline structure hence exhibit different properties. Graphite is opaque and soft whereas diamond is transparent and hard.

Crystallographers discovered that they could study biological materials, such as proteins or DNA, by making crystals of them. This extended the scope of crystallography to biology and medicine. Crystallography is now a truly interdisciplinary field   encompassing Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine, Engineering and Maths. Rosalind Franklin took X ray image of DNA fiber that proved instrumental to Watson and Krick’s Nobel prize discovery of the double helix. She also studied structure of Carbon in coal and graphite and TMV.

Two thousand years ago, Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder admired ‘the regularity of the six-sided prisms of rock crystals.’ At the time, the process of crystallizing sugar and salt was already known to the ancient Indian and Chinese civilizations. Cane sugar crystals were manufactured from sugar cane juice in India. In China, brine was boiled down into pure salt crystals. Modern crystallography started with an attempt by Kepler in 1611 to understand the formation of ice crystals in terms of compact packing of six units around a seventh one. In 1771 Hauy showed that the shapes of crystals could be obtained by an appropriate 3D packing of identical parallelopipeds. During the 19th century modern geometrical crystallography developed with formal mathematical descriptions of crystals based on symmetry. A

complete theoretical geometrical background had been developed by the time X-rays were discovered by Rontgen in 1895. In 1912, Laue and his co workers carried out a revolutionary experiment which

demonstrated how X-rays travelling into a crystal interact with it and diffracted in particular directions depending on the nature of crystals. Laue's experiment marks the birth of radio-crystallography. Next year father and son team of WH Bragg and WL Bragg related the directions and intensities of the diffracted beams to the atomic structure of the crystals. They showed that X-rays can be used to determine accurately the positions of atoms within a crystal and thus unravel its 3D structure. Synchrotrons  (sources of intense X ray) enable archaeologists to pinpoint the composition and age of artefacts dating back tens of thousands of years, for instance, and geologists to analyse and date meteorites and lunar rocks. Crystallography allows us to understand and fabricate computer memories, showing us how proteins are created in cells and helping us to design powerful new materials and drugs. The Curiosity rover used X-ray crystallography in October 2012 to analyse soil samples on the planet Mars. NASA had equipped the rover with a diffractometer. The results suggested that the Martian soil sample was similar to the weathered basaltic soils of Hawaiian volcanoes. Crystallography is used to control the quality of processed drugs, including antiviral drugs, at the stage of mass production, in order to ensure that strict health and safety guidelines are met. Cocoa butter, the most important ingredient of chocolate, crystallizes in six different forms but only one melts pleasantly in the mouth and has the surface sheen and crisp hardness that make it so tasty.

Fig. 1: Commemorative postage stamp issued by India post on International year of crystallography

REPORT on INSPIRE 2013, 21-25 Nov 2013

Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) is  a programme by the Department of Science and Technology for attraction of talent to study science and opt careers with research. The motivation behind INSPIRE is to enlarge the pool of scientific human power and foster research in the basic and applied sciences. The Scheme includes three sub-components viz.,  Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent (SEATS), Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) and Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC).  As one sub components of SEATS, Summer/winter camps for about 50,000 youth are being organised throughout India in which students  interact with global science leaders.  Summer/Winter Camps are organized for age group 16 – 17 years, Class XI students. NIT Srinagar has been regularly organizing Inspire science camps since March 2012.

The fourth Inspire Science camp was organized from 21-25 November 2013. Three hundred meritorious students from all over the valley of Kashmir participated in the camp. The inaugural session of the camp began with an introduction of the Institute by Prof. G A Hermain, Dean R&D and chairman Inspire Camp. The director NIT, Prof. Rajat Gupta elaborated on the genesis of Inspire programme. Prof. Gupta urged the young participants to undertake research in future on contemporary issues such as solar power, climate, environment, wildlife conservation, eradication  of epidemic  and diseases etc.  Many renowned scientists, academician hands on experts interacted with students during the camp. Prof N Vijayan of NPL, New Delhi talked about fascinations of crystallography. He deliberated on various methods of crystal growth, applications and device fabrication. He also displayed many beautiful crystals. Prof Fozia Qazi of Islamic University of Science and technology had a very interesting talk on ‘Thinking Outside the Four Dimensional Box’. The talk explained how some of the most fascinating and abstract questions of mathematics can be answered in creative ways by discovering patterns and using one's imagination. Prof Bashir Mir of NIT Srinagar deliberated on Role of Soil Science in engineering practice. Prof MA Sofi a distinguished mathematician of the valley deliberated on ‘Mathematics as the art of Explanation’. Prof GA Hermain, chairman INSPIRE deliberated on ‘Finite element method as tool of Engineering’. Dr Sameena Muzammil deliberated on Prospects in Biotechnology. Dr Mushtaq Chalkoo and Dr Rafiq Simanani deliberated on frontiers of surgical sciences. Dr Kowsar Majeed deliberated on conducting polymers. The members of Wildlife SOS had a very useful presentation on Human Bear conflict which is a very pertinent issue in Jammu and Kashmir. The organizer Dr M. A. Shah had a lively presentation on ‘Nano: The science of small’. There were interesting hands on session every day after tea break. Dr S. Rubab of Physics department had an interacting session on Comet ISON and night sky watching. Dr Vipula Abhayankar had sessions on daytime astronomy which generated enthusiasm among students as well as their teachers. The hands on sessions by Samar Bagchi, Dr BN Das and Minish Gulati were most enjoyable. Apart from lectures, the students of the camp  got a chance to visit various labs of NIT Srinagar.  They Participated in science quiz and essay competition.  An exhibition of posters on Comet ISON was organized by Dr Seemin Rubab. During valedictory the participants expressed their gratitude and satisfaction.