India, France to set up virtual institute on mathematics

Updated on: Tuesday, January 17, 2012

India and France have decided to set up a virtual institute for applied mathematics to take up joint research projects in the area.

An agreement to set up the virtual institute was signed last evening between the Department of Science and Technology and the National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS) of France.
 
The new initiative will have participation from six institutes from India led by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. The University of Toulouse will be the lead institute from France.
 
Besides the initiative in mathematics, the two sides also signed agreements to renew cooperation in the field of immunology and informatics.
 
"We have signed agreements with the Indian counterparts to set up a joint unit in mathematics in Bangalore and two international associated labs in informatics and immunology to strengthen scientific collaboration between the two countries," CNRS Director-General Joel Bertrand said.
 
The three projects will be funded equally by Paris-based CNRS and the Departments of Science and Technology, and Biotechnology.
 
"Each side will contribute Rs five crore towards the initiative," Thirumalachari Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology told.
 
The funds would be spent over the next four years on joint research projects in mathematical sciences, exchange visits, he said.

Top 30 Indian and 30 French mathematicians will jointly work on the research projects over the next four years at IISc in Bangalore and at CNRS centres in Paris and Toulouse in France.
 
Besides the IISc, Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai and a couple of IITs will be involved in the mathematics initiative, G Rangarajan, a professor of Mathematics at IISc and Indian coordinator for the project told.
 
Funding for labs in informatics and immunology will soon be decided mutually by CNRS and its Indian counterparts.
 
The 72-year-old CNRS is the state-funded organisation under the French ministry of research and higher education, with a budget of 3.3 billion euros in 2012.
 
With about 1,100 research units, including joint research labs with universities and industries worldwide, CNRS employs 35,200 people, including 11,400 researchers and 15,200 engineers and technicians.

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