Presidency climbs new heights with Kurseong campus

Somdatta Basu,TNN | Sep 20, 2015, KOLKATA: The Himalayan Centre of Presidency University will be unveiled at Dow Hill in 2017 as the university will gear up to celebrate its bicentenary year. The hill centre will be the third campus of the illustrious institution adding a new feather to the crown. The second campus of Presidency University at Rajarhat will also start functioning in the same year as the third one. 

A host of new programs will be on the offing that has been drawn up by the university authorities for its newest campus in Kurseong. Topping the list of initiatives is a world-class observatory with a high standard telescope - a first of it's kind in the Eastern Himalayas. 

"Several Centres which will offer specialization courses will be set up at the Himalayan Centre of Presidency University. One among them is the Centre for Astrophysics. It will be the same centre which will lead the team to install our telescope at Dow Hill. From the observatory, our scientists will collect astronomical data. It will be the first such observatory in the eastern Himalayas. At the moment, there is one in Nainital and another one in Ladakh," said vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia. 

The university already has a strong team of astro physicist which was earlier headed by Somak Raychaudhury who was director of Wast Hills Observatory under University of Birmingham between 2003 and 2012. Raychaudhuri is currently on leave as he has joined at the Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics as director in Pune from August. "We have four other astro-physicists who shall be involved in building the observatory. More recruitment will be done soon," added Lohia. 

The university will be approaching various funding agencies to collect around Rs 10 crore to set up the observatory. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already sanctioned Rs 30 crore to start building the third campus. 

Presidency University which also have a very strong geology department will set up a Centre for Himalayan Geological study. "The centre will essentially study the terrain," said the VC. 

The third Centre will be on Climate Change. This centre will study the effects of global warming and climate change in the eastern Himalayas. 

Plan to build a Centre for Bio Diversity and Ecological Studies of Himalayas is also on the radar. "Himalayas have very specific bio diversity which is unique from any other region. The centre will focus on studying the various flora and fauna along with other species found in the region," the VC added. 

Finally, a Centre for Social Anthropology will be set up that will study the culture, literature, religion and origin of the various indigenous community which have lived in the Himalayas. It will include the Nepalis, Lepchas, Gorkhas, Rajvanshis, Radhas and Sherpas. All of them have a strong social custom and rich literary heritage. There are minute but specific differences between each communities. The centre will aim at studying the communities. 

"We have two and a half acres of land which will be expanded later. Initially the construction will start from January 2016. We propose to build one lakh square feet area in the third campus. Hopefully courses can begin from 2017. The campus will first offer post-graduation and research oriented P.hd programs which may be later extended to undergraduate courses after more faculty is recruited," Lohia informed.