Eminent Nuclear Scientist Dr SK Jain Chairman NPCIL Lecture at BITS Pilani APOGEE 2009

March 24, 2009 - PRLog -- One among the top ranking universities in India today, the Birla Institute of Technology and Science popularly known as BITS has campuses in Pilani Rajasthan, Dubai, Goa and Hyderabad. Recently the National Assessment and Accreditation Council NAAC reaccredited BITS with 3.71 CGPA out of 4 and awarded “A” grade “Very Good” status to BITS.

APOGEE which saw its silver jubilee two years back is in its 27th year and is scheduled from 23 March to 27 March 2009. This year over hundred institutions which include overseas ones also are participating and close to thousand participants have invaded the campus in Pilani Rajasthan. On 23 March 2009 morning, Mr BK Chaturvedi Member Planning Commission Government of India gave a roaring start to APOGEE 2009.

This year APOGEE has a series of lectures by eminent persons and the opening one was by eminent nuclear scientist DR SK Jain Chairman and Managing Director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). Addressing a jam packed audience in the Lecture Theatre Complex of BITS Pilani, Dr SK Jain in his talk on Balancing Energy Needs gave an overview of the energy scenario in India and compared it with global scenario.

Stating that India had 17 operating and 6 under construction nuclear plants as against 436 operating and 44 under construction world wide, Dr Jain pointed out that while the world has planned in next 25 years 222 nuclear plants to be constructed, India in XIth plan has planned 19 plants.

It was an eye opener when Dr Jain pointed out that NPCIL was sitting on a cash surplus of Rs 12,000/- crores and with a debt equity ratio of 70:30 for nuclear projects, assuming 6 crores for a MW of nuclear power, NPCIL had the equity required for setting up 5000 to 6000 MW. Dr Jain spoke at length about the Safety aspects of nuclear power plants and technological challenges offered by NPCIL.

Dr Jain gave a clarion call to the youth of the nation to take up the larger task of nation building and answered a volley of questions posed by the students. Dr Jain had words of praise for the Practice School model of BITS education and the work integrated learning programmes of BITS which is being conducted for HRD needs of various industries.

Every one knows that the latitude and longitude of Pilani is 28.3 degrees N and 75.6 degrees E but with an array of workshops, events, invited lectures, online events, paper & poster sessions, Kernel, Projects, exhibitions, Robo Soccer, OHTs etc in APOGEE 2009, its worth watching the altitude of Pilani.

APOGEE 2009 with Levitate as the theme is indeed poised to climb greater heights this year.

# # #

BITS Pilani is a Deemed University established under section 3 of the UGC Act. 1956 under notification no. F.12-23/63.U-2 dated 18th June, 1964.