ISMAANA, in collaboration with IIT (ISM) Dhanbad is initiating a program for IIT (ISM) students to pursue internship opportunities in North American universities. Initially internship could be carried out online. A committee consisting of several faculty members from North American universities and experts from industries is proposed. Dr Ram Madhab Bhattacharjee Dean IRAA IIT (ISM) has consented to be the liaison from IIT (ISM) and he may include other faculty members from IIT (ISM) in this committee. Dr Anil Kumar of ISMAANA has kindly consented to lead this effort.

Several of North America based faculty members including Dr. Mrinal Sen, Dr. Ganesh Thakur and Dr. Akhil Datta Gupta were all were encouraging of this effort. We believe internship opportunities like this could open up prospects in future for IIT (ISM) students to pursue graduate studies in North American universities as well as improve their career prospects. At present we have 5 students in internship program, 3 with Dr. Anil Kumar and 2 with Dr. Amit Acharya of Carnegie Mellon U.

The list of proposed committee members is as follows. We estimate it may require 1 to 2 hours/week of faculty members’ time to provide internship/mentoring guidance for 1 student.

Proposed Members of this committee include

Dr. Anil Kumar – ISMAANA – Lead
Dr. Mrinal Sen – UT Austin -Geophysics mrinal@utexas.edu
Dr Akhil Datta Gupta – TAMU – PE – datta-gupta@tamu.edu
Dr Kingshuk Sinha – U. of Minn – ksinha@umn.edu
Dr. Sanjay Srinivasan – Penn State – sanjays@psu.edu
Dr Chandra Rai – OU – crai@ou.edu
Dr. Sumit Verma – UT Permian Basin – sumit.verma@alumni.ou.edu
Dr. Amit Acharya – Carnegie Mellon U- acharyaamit@cmu.edu
Dr. Hemanta Sarma – U. of Calgary – hemanta.sarma@ucalgary.ca
Dr. Indranil Bardhan – UT Austin – indranil.bardhan@mccombs.utexas.edu –
Dr. Someshwar Kesh – U. of Central Missouri – kesh@ucmo.edu
Dr. Santanu Khataniar – U. of Alaska – skhataniar@alaska.edu
Dr. Ganesh Thakur _ U. of Houston – PE – drganeshthakur38@gmail.com
Dr Deblina Sarkar – MIT – Comp. Sc. – deblina@mit.edu –
Dr Raja Ramani – Penn State – Mining – rvramani001@yahoo.com
Dr. Pradeep Talwani – U. of S. Carolina – Geophysics – talwani@geol.sc.edu
Dr. Hemanta Mukherji – Consultant and Lecturer – PE – hemanta@ipointoil.com
Mr Shivaji Dasgupta- Geophysical expert and consultant.

From IIT (ISM)
Dr Ram Madhab Bhattacharjee – rmbhattacharjee@iitism.ac.in

ISMAANA East Coast annual get-together & picnic held on August 6, 2021 at Beltzville State Park, Lehighton, PA was primarily organized by Pradip Gangopadhyay with help of several other alumni.

The event was successfully held considering the pandemic situation. We had a good gathering on pre-event on Friday, August 6. Quite a few participated in singing with full Karaoke music arranged by Debashish Chatterjee (’88 Petroleum Eng.) & even our Prof. Raja V. Ramani (’62 Mining Eng.) participated in the musical session. Considerable good amount of wine, liquor & snacks was provided along with a suite reserved for gathering by Dr Mihir Sinha ’66 P Tech. We must mention that the lion’s share of these expenses for drinks was shared by our veteran Mihir Sinha, Shishir Agrawal (’67 Mining Eng), Sneharthi Roy (’87 Mining Eng) & Debashish Chatterjee.

Prabuddha Gupta (’95 Mining Eng.) booked a nice pavilion well ahead of time, and he deserves a big thanks for reservation of this scenic picnic spot in Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where the picnic event took place.

Prof. Amit Acharya (’88 Mining Eng.) and Buddhi Prakash Gupta (2002 Electronics) were formally introduced during our dinner session. These two gentlemen are newcomers to the picnic and during our lunch session they mingled with others freely.

It’s important to mention that without the assistance of Mihir Sinha, Shishir, Prabuddha, Debashish & Sneharthi we couldn’t have successfully completed the event. Shishir and his better half Mekhala certainly deserve a big thanks from all of us. We are all fortunate to have these kinds of friends with such a high degree of cooperation.

The dinner was arranged at the New Amber Indian Restaurant, Moosic, PA 18507. Food was sumptuous but the conversations were simply priceless. The dinner started at 6:30PM and continued past 10 PM.

IIT(ISM) has chosen 10 existing premier lecture halls to be converted to world class smart classrooms and 2 classrooms to be converted to recording studios. The objectives of smart classrooms are to provide enhanced learning experience to students via real-time e-learning with help of audios and videos, multimedia, images, online web conferences, PPT presentations, and 2D & 3D animations. The work includes sound proofing, adding latest audiovisual equipment and installing computer equipment to teach online classes. Two recording studios will have latest equipment for carrying out teaching-learning-recording process, both in physical and virtual mode including recording of lecture sessions in line to allow online courses for a wider reach.

Six ISMAANA alumni have graciously come forward to sponsor six lecture halls and 2 class rooms for recording studios. They are Dr Pramod Thakur (61ME) who is sponsoring upgrade of MIN1, Mining Engineering lecture hall in the Heritage building, Dr. Mohinder Gulati (62PE), who is sponsoring upgrading of 2 lecture halls, one in the Petroleum Engineering building and one in the new lecture hall complex. Avinash Ahuja (67PE) is sponsoring one upgrade at the new lecture hall complex, Yugal Gupta (68PE) is sponsoring the upgrade of IT classroom in the new lecture hall complex. Hemanta Mukherji (68PE) is sponsoring upgrade of one Lecture Hall Complex classroom. Shivaji Dasgupta (70’A.Geoph) is sponsoring conversion of 2 classrooms into recording studios.

Funding requirement of each lecture hall upgrade is Rs. 18 Lakhs while those for recording studios is Rs. 25 lakhs each.

The Table below lists the smart classrooms and their tentative schedule towards completion. Subject to completion of the electrical and civil work, the equipment for smart learning activities (interactive whiteboards projectors, audio-video systems etc.) will be installed. All work is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Table 1: Completion schedule for Smart Classroom work

Chandrashekhar Room located in the Executive Development Centre (EDC) of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad is fully transformed into a smart classroom. The rest of the rooms (listed from S. No. 1 to 10 in the table above) are progressing with the electrical and civil work.
Some pictures of the completed and ongoing work are as below:

Book review by Pradip Gangopadhyay (70’PE)

(An immigrant’s story from India to America) written by my friend & batchmate from the IIT(ISM) Class of 1970, Ashim Bhowmick.

I knew that Ashim was engaged in many activities, including education, looking after the interests of immigrants from India, and certainly capable of writing a book. I had the rare privilege to glance through the manuscript that he shared with me before publishing it. Ashim’s an Immigrant-Centric Biographical Memoir may benefit all immigrants or people who relocated from one region to another in their own country. In my humble opinion, his Book is a must-read for every immigrant from wherever they came from.

His Book is currently live online on Amazon in eBook and paperback (with photos in B&W) formats in more than 100 countries –

Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Margin-Mainstream-Heart-America-ebook/dp/B09693MLMG
and in hardcover (with photos in color) format on Barnes & Noble.

Here is the link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com. Search my book by title, authors full name Ashim Kumar Bhowmick or by ISBN 9781666298307.

The memoir is for those who want to get the best immigrant experience but are afraid to integrate. The new immigrants are reluctant to take that first and the most crucial step because they are so scared that their action might mean losing the culture and traditions, they brought with them along with their identity. They thus become ‘be-all and end-all’ groups in their newly adopted country and are perceived as a stand-off group. Ashim hopes and dreams that his Book might be the first step to those inhibitions.

Immigrant individual(s) or group(s) can integrate, assimilate, separate, or marginalize themselves. Separating or marginalizing makes it challenging to make this home be the best it can be. Contributing requires a significant change in mindset and personal engagement. The immigrant communities must play a greater role in the broader socio-cultural and welfare processes in the U.S. The process should be ‘self-serving’ and will provide for ‘acculturation,’ thereby gradually neutralizing the ‘misperception’ of those who object to their alleged ‘foreignness.

Ashim has championed this over many decades and recommends that the new immigrants must concertedly and prudently work to shift their “Tolerance to Acceptance to Inclusion” of new immigrants by those who have been here longer or the host societies.

At this moment of racial reckoning as the country, we have so lovingly adopted grapples with race, racism, and systemic racism, immigrants’ personal experiences speak. According to a recent report, one in two Indian Americans says they face bias.

Folks, Ashim’s Book contains relatable candor, which must resonate well with all recent immigrants and those who are here longer. It leaves the reader – often implicitly – with a decision to make or action to take, perhaps a path forward as the nation grapples with increasing racially motivated hate crimes. Here are some ways you can help popularize the crucial message to all immigrants:

• Write an honest review or comment on where you acquired the Book because more book reviews attract potential buyers.
• Think of at least ten people in your close circle who would benefit from this Book and let them know about it.
• Broadcast the benefit of this Book in your larger inner and outer circles.
• Share the Book and comments via your social media networks.

We are all proud of Ashim’s friendship & accomplishments

I am on my way to India right now after a two-year COVID induced gap, and memories are flooding my brain. Some happy, some sad and some bittersweet. It’s the same with my memories of ISM. It is not just my alma mater but also the place where I grew up, as my father taught at ISM. And my father is an ISM graduate too, so that makes for a triple strength bond!

My earliest memories of ISM are as a five-year old, playing hide and seek and other games in the streets of Teachers Colony. Festivals were the best – with staff that hailed from almost all the Indian states, I got to sample regional delicacies and experience a wide range of traditions while sharing celebrations with our friends.

I remember visiting the Geology Museum in the Main Building with my father and marveling at the magical rock balanced on my palm, swaying gently like a living, breathing thing. One of my favorite memories of the Main Building is climbing the stairs to watch the sun rise on a new year. The library adjacent to the Main Building was appropriately revered as the abode of Saraswati. It was there that I eagerly peered through a telescope when Halley’s comet swung by in 1986, allowing us mortals a glimpse of heavenly wonders.

The hostels, of course, were off limits as they were boys’ hostels. Once a year, however, on Basant, Old Hostel would open up to alumni and their families and we would breathlessly watch games of ping-pong, played with an intensity usually reserved for the sport of cricket. Old Hostel (renamed Diamond Hostel by the time I joined ISM as a student) also has the unusual distinction of hosting my wedding ceremony on a blistering hot day in May a few years after I graduated.

As a student, I saw a side of the institute that I did not have access to earlier. There was now a girl’s hostel, of course, and there lived in them role models who remain an inspiration to me even today. Practical training every summer kept us on our toes, but also gave us a chance to visit new places. While training at ONGC’s Institute of Drilling Technology in the first year, we hopped on a bus to Mussorie and Chakrata, where for the first time in my life I “touched” clouds that were wafting by.

By second year, ISM was convinced we could do more, and sent us off to ONGC installations in Ahmedabad, Mehsana and Ankleshwar. As the train slowly pulled into the outskirts of Ahmedabad, we three girls spotted a board saying ONGC Chandkheda and decided it made more sense to get off right there instead of going to Ahmedabad station and then wasting time and money to return to Chandkheda. We promptly pulled our luggage out and tossed it out of the moving train, jumping out ourselves right after. When we looked back, we noticed everyone gawking at us out the windows of the gradually retreating train. We crossed the train tracks purposefully, and my friend walked up to a parked police car to inquire where we might find an auto to take us to the ONGC guesthouse. The police officer took one look at the three girls in pigtails and promptly offered to drop us off at our destination. We reached our dwelling in style with police escort. On our first morning at the Chandkheda guest house, we polished off our breakfast and then figured out that it was more efficient to scale the locked gate visible across the lawn to catch the bus to the oilfield than walk out the main entrance like a lady. So that’s what we did. I think it’s incidents like these that resulted in a comment from a male classmate to an “Arts” college girl during Saturnalia (the annual college festival that has now been rebranded, though I doubt that it is any less bacchanalian) that his female classmates were not feminine enough. All these years later, I still wouldn’t have it any other way!

Third year brought with it the Mandal Commission protest, with the institute shutting down for a week to allow tempers to cool off. There was a lot of talk that students should offer free education to disadvantaged children in the community, but nothing came out of it, and I am ashamed to say I did not contribute anything except words. Some 15 years back, I learned that (then) current ISM students had implemented what we had only discussed, and they were successfully preparing these children for admission into proper schools.

Come final year, we Petroleum Engineers learned that we were out of luck for jobs. ONGC was hit by the downturn and had slashed recruitment to zero. Realization dawned on me that the promise of the highest salary in the institute was meaningless when it was dependent on a single employer that was not bound by any commitments. So alternate plans were made, fast and furious- GRE, CAT, Civil Services, etc. Each of the 40+ students landed on their feet and all are doing very well today. When ISM decided to diversify its course offerings and some alumni were disappointed, I voiced support for the change because I had seen firsthand the impact of operating in the geosciences niche. I vote for jobs over nostalgia any day.

I was unable to attend the silver anniversary celebration of our batch. I have not been back to ISM Dhanbad since 2006 as my parents have moved to another city. But whenever I smell the fragrant earth after a rain-shower, I am reminded of ISM, my childhood home, my alma mater and the place where I formed lifelong friendships. It was magical then and I am sure it’s magical now.

Driven, ambitious and passionate
He had ascended the mountain peak
Striving relentlessly, with a singular obsession
To climb, to strive and to reach to the top.

The panorama was striking from his vantage point
He felt like the conqueror who defeated all
The wave of happiness swept like the breeze,
Invincible he felt, superior he thought in his mind.

As the breeze calmed down, he felt an eerie silence
Loneliness gnawed at his heart, the emptiness echoed in his viscera.
What was the point of it all? He thought to himself
His singular achievement meant so little to others.

Contemplating to himself, he narrowed his gaze
And saw the second mountain across the valley.
And lo and behold, it was teeming with people all around
He hurriedly climbed down and trekked across the valley.

As he approached nearer, he saw people helping each other ascend the mountain
Together they climbed and took the tumble together, negotiating the sharp bents on the way
He soon realized, it’s not what you achieve individually
But joy is in how you give away your energy in the pursuit of affecting a positive change.

Joy is in helping, in giving, in supporting
The Cause that deeply moves you
And making it larger than
Just your individual self.

So climb the first mountain, if you must
To check your fitness on the way …
But remember, it’s the second mountain
Where your impact will pave the others’ way.

अकालबोधन

था उदीयमान सूर्य से प्रकाशित तपोवन का कण-कण
शरद के आगमन से उल्लसित -प्रफ़ुल्लित हर स्पन्दन
इस मधुर पल में,खिन्न फिर भी रघुवर राम का अंतर्मन
वियोग अपनी सीता का असहनीय, और व्यथा अव्यक्त
लक्ष्मण भी थे दुःखी ,देख प्रिय भ्राता का मुख विषन्न

कुछ दूर गहन चिंतन में थे ड़ूबे हनुमान
कैसे प्रभु राम की लौटायें मधुर मुस्कान
कैसे माता जानकी का करें राम उद्धार
रावण की लंका थी अभेद्य, अजेय,
राक्षसों की सेना से घिरी छिपी अशोक-वाटिका
फ़िर भी जला सोने की लंका,तोड़ा उनका अभिमान
उपाय कैसा करें राम-सीता का मिलन हो आसान

हठी है रावण, होगा नहीं टस से मस
वार्ता से नहीं निकलेगा कोई भी हल
शक्तिमान है वो, देवों के आशीष समृद्ध
हर क्षेत्र में अग्रणी ,वायु हो या जल-थल

कहा था राम ने :
कैसे होगा बताओ युद्ध सम्भव , हनुमान !
कहाँ साधनहीन निष्कासित मैं दासरथी
और वो, शिव आशीष से समृद्ध शक्तिमान
असुर श्रेष्ठ लंकाधिपति रावण महारथी

बोले लक्ष्मण :
हे प्रबुद्ध ! छल का उत्तर है युद्ध और केवल युद्ध
वह यद्यपि महापराक्रमी, पर है तो परम दुष्ट
विनाश होता है जब जब अन्याय का इस जग में
मानव धरती पर, स्वर्ग में देवता भी होते हैं तुष्ट
है इतिहास साक्षी, अधर्म ने सदा मानी हार
खड्ग उठा कर , जब भी धर्म ने किया प्रहार
हे तात ! करो आप लंकेश्वर का त्वरित संहार
धर्मयुद्ध है ये, छोड़ो दुविधा, त्यागो अन्य विचार

तभी बोल उठे हनुमान:
हे प्रभु!
दानवों के अत्याचार से जब प्रकम्पित थी धरती
देवताओं के आग्रह पर हुईँ अवतरित माँ दुर्गा
देवी ने किया समूल संहार सभी क्रूर राक्षसों का
ली सुख की साँस धरती ,पाताल और स्वर्ग ने
कर पूजन दुर्गतिनाशिनी माँ दुर्गा की, माँगे वरदान
सफल होंगे रण में, मिटेगा रावण का नामों-निशान

बोले राम :
हे हनुमान ! श्रेष्ठ है आपका चिंतन और विचार
कृतज्ञ हूँ , अभिभूत करता मुझे आपका यह प्यार
अवतरित होती हैं देवी कैलाश पर्वत के शिखर से
चैत्र में हर वर्ष ,होता है हर्ष से पवित्र यह भूखण्ड
अर्चना होती है तभी, जब हो अनुकूल काल-खंड
अपनी मूढ़ता से स्वार्थ-वश भूल कर नियम धर्म
जान कर ये,कैसे कर सकता हूँ मैं धृष्टता प्रचण्ड
प्रकृति के नियम के विरोध से है सशंकित मेरा मन
क्या करेगा नहीं देवी को कुपित मेरा अकाल बोधन ?

बोले हनुमान :
जब दुःख में हो कोई सन्तान , रुक जाता है स्पंदन
सह नहीं सकती कभी कोई माता संतान का क्रन्दन
रोक नहीं सकता प्रलय भी , यदि पुकारे पुत्र का मन
द्विधा संशय से होकर मुक्त, दृढ़-चित्त से करें पूजन
माता को याद करने का नहीं होता निश्चित पल-क्षण
समृद्ध हो शक्तिरुपिनी की कृपा से करें शत्रु-संहार
इस महा समर में रक्षा करेगा आपकी,माँ का ही प्यार

दिया उत्तर रघुवर ने :
जानकी के विरह का दुःख भी कर लेता हूँ सहन
पास मेरे रहते हो लक्ष्मण और तुम मारुति-नंदन
शुभ- लग्न में करूँगा पूजन देवी दुर्गा का श्रद्धा से
जाओ आश्विन शुक्ल पक्ष नवमी को होगा हवन
इससे पहले आदिशक्ति चण्डिका का करूँ पाठ
ले आना नील कमल ज़रूर तुम एक सौ आठ

फ़िर आया शरद ऋतु का आश्विन शुक्ल-पक्ष
पूरी वानर सेना के साथ लक्ष्मण और हनुमान
आयोजन में लगे पूरी श्रद्धा और लगन के संग
भुजाएँ फड़क रही,हर दिल में था जोश और उमंग

उधर लंका में था व्याप्त ,भय लंका दहन के पश्चात
अनिश्चय,संशय, शोक, जाने कब क्या हो जाए हटात
जिस दशानन के हुंकार से कांपता था स्वर्ग थर-थर
देवी-पूजन के इस आयोजन के संवाद से बना वो पत्थर
महाज्ञानी राजनीतिज्ञ था , जानता था पूजा का असर
कृपा शक्ति की देवी की , मिली राम को तो होगी जय

मन में सोचा उसने , वचन रघुकुल का अगर जाए टूट
कुंद हो जाएगा सारा पराक्रम, व्यर्थ होगा आयोजन
कर धारण छद्मवेश, छिप कर चुराया नील कमल एक
अधूरे सामग्री से होती नहीं महापूजा कहता है विवेक

लक्ष्मण जब राम संग बैठे निज पूजा के आसन पर
एक फूल कम देख तनी भ्रुकुटी स्मित आनन पर
“ये क्या हनुमान आयोजन का लिया था आपने भार
लुप्त नील कमल एक , आघात भ्राता के प्रण पर”

अंतर्यामी ने परख लिया ,था किसका यह षड्यन्त्र
विचलित महावीर कुछ कहते, बोले मधुर स्वर में राम
“सभी कहते हैं आँखे हैं मेरी गहरे नील कमल सी
करूँगा अर्पण इसे वेदी पर ,पूजा में होगा नहीं विराम “
पड़ा था निकट तरकस, त्वरित निकाला तीक्ष्ण एक तीर
बिना द्विधा नोक उसकी ले आए निज आँखो के समीप
पर इससे पहले चुभता तीर कमल-नयन में रघुवर के
हज़ार सूरज की आभा लिए प्रकटी स्वयं महामाया
स्तंभित, चकित,सभी अपलक निहारते स्वर्णिम काया

बोली स्वयं चण्डिका :
“रुको वत्स ! सच है कि मुझे प्रिय हैं बहुत ये नील कमल
व्यर्थ नहीं हनुमान ,किया है किसी ने तुमसे भीषण छल
अभिभूत हुई मैं तुम्हारी लगन, श्रद्धा और वचनबद्धता से
सम्पूर्ण हुई पूजा , तुम अविचल, है भक्ति तुम्हारी निश्छल
अभिमानी नहीं परम ज्ञानी हो तुम्हीं से आलोकित तपोवन
आयी कौन सी आपदा ? हो रहा क्यों यह अकालबोधन?”

अश्रुपुरित चक्षु से धोया चरण माँ दुर्गा का रघुपती ने
कह डालीं कथा, वेदना से विदीर्ण हृदय को खोल
सुनकर देवी के भी नयन हुए सजल, बोली माँ हँसकर
माँ की शरण में आया है, बोल पुत्र अपनी इच्छा बोल
विजयी होगा अहर्निश तू समर में, हर प्रहर में, हर क्षण
समग्र संसार के लिए लाएगा शुभ संवाद ये तेरा प्रण
सच्ची पूजा होगी मेरी आज के बाद –

Based on a successful seminar by Dr. Ganesh Thakur (PE’70) on the topic of waterflooding and well management on August 15, 2020 ISMAANA embarked on an ongoing program of online seminars on topics of high interest. A small team consisting of experts from ISMAANA and IIT (ISM) department heads was formed with Dr. Thakur heading this team.

• Dr. Ganesh Thakur – Chairman emeritus ISMAANA – Lead
• Dr. Jitendra Kikani – Former Board member ISMAANA
• Prof Dheeraj Kumar – Dean International Relations IIT (ISM)
• Prof. R.M. Bhattacharjee – HOD Mining Engineering IIT (ISM)
• Prof Ajay Mandal – HOD Petroleum Engineering IIT (ISM)
• Prof Shalivahan – HOD Applied Geophysics IIT (ISM)

IIT (ISM) team has sent a list of topics to cover in the Online Seminar program, Dr. Thakur has lined up 2 speakers: Dr. Siddharth Mishra – Texas A & M University – for data analytics and Dr Rob Stewart – University of Houston – Applied Geophysics, for next 2 online seminars. Plan is to have these online seminars to IIT (ISM) students monthly on topics of current interest by industry experts.

Dear ISMAANA members:

The ongoing Corona virus pandemic has created great sense of personal and social insecurity around the world. We in USA have gone through 15 months of living with pandemic induced restrictions including wearing of mask, maintaining social distance and avoiding crowds. Since December 2020, intensive vaccination campaign has resulted in over 53% of US population getting their first dose and over 45% of population receiving both doses of vaccine. This has resulted in enormous drops in Covid-19 infections and number of deaths We are hopeful that by the end of July the pandemic effect would significantly ebb resulting in greater normalcy. Hopefully by the fall semester all schools and colleges will reopen with in-person classes.

India, on the other hand is undergoing a severe second phase surge of Coronavirus. During the month of April infections and virus-related deaths reached record levels. Infection levels have since started to come down but most areas of the country are under lockdowns and night time curfew. Vaccinating a country of 1.3 billion people is an enormous task but India is starting to make progress and it is estimated that by early 2022 most of the country will get vaccinated.

Due to Coronavirus, classes at IIT (ISM) are being held online and it is not certain when in person classes will resume. Within the campus over 70 persons got infected during the month of April, with two in serious condition. All have recovered and currently no new cases of Coronavirus within the campus are reported. This year Basant festival (Feb 2021) was also held online.

IIT (ISM), in addition to taking care of those who were infected within the campus is also providing much needed help to local population at Dhanbad in providing Medicine kits, Sanitizers, Face Masks, Oximeters, and Digital Thermometers and started a vaccination center for general public at the campus. We at ISMAANA undertook a fund-raising drive to help our alma mater to provide medical support to the local population. We collected and donated a sum in excess of Rs. 5 lakhs. Separately, Mr. Yugal K. Gupta (PE’68) generously donated $10,000 to help IIT (ISM) Covid relief fund.

We at ISMAANA continue to work on many projects to assist our alma mater as well as our north America based alumni. During the current academic year (2020-21) 38 students continued receiving merit cum means scholarships. Selection of candidates for another 14 scholarships were completed and we are sending the needed funds for these scholarships.

In addition, 8 academic excellence awards are given to eight fourth year students in four earth science branches and four major engineering branches based on their academic performance during the first 3 years. More details are provided under ISMAANA scholarship programs.

Work on Naresh Vashisht Center for Tinkering and Innovation (NVCTI) at IIT (ISM) is in the completion stage. Activity was limited to holding seminars and innovation competitions due to the lockdown but expected to pick up as students return to the campus. Two projects were selected for Dr. Piyush Dutta innovation prize this year. This was the first award of innovation prize of Rs 1 Lakh sponsored by Dr Piyush Dutta (Mining’60).

An alumni database development program is ongoing for last two years with dedicated efforts of Gaurav Seth. If you know of any alumnus who is not receiving our newsletter, please let Gaurav know at smile.gaurav@gmail.com.

We started a fund-raising program in 2018 to enhance our endowment funds to continue and expand the academic excellence award program and to fund outstanding research projects at our alma mater. Additional funds are also needed to help IIT (ISM) students attend international seminars and conferences. Scarcity of funds limits us from considering many such requests during the year. We thank many of you have already contributed to the alumni fund. If you wish to donate please write your tax-deductible donation check to “Indian School of Mines Alumni” and send it to our treasurer Atul Kumar at 46 Huntsman Horn Circle, The Woodlands, TX 77380.

If you have any feedback to improve ISMAANA’s role or would like to contribute articles or news events or have any other comments, please send us a note.

Thank you.
Sincerely
Dipak Sarkar
President ISMAANA (’67 PE)
dksarkar@aol.com