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Statistics plays key role in analysing concepts
The `3rd National Statistics
Day' was observed
at SV University last week in
commemoration of the 116th
birth anniversary of `Padma
Vibhushan' Prasantha
Chandra Mahalanobis. The
event was held jointly by its
Statistics Department and
Indian Society for Probability
and Statistics (ISPS). In his keynote address,
former President of ISPS
S.P. Mukherjee gave voluminous
information on how
statistical science took
shape in India and allied disciplines
like Operations Research
and Statistical
Quality Control. "The directional
data analysis and
study of calculation of small
probabilities are the latest
areas of research", he told
the young researchers. SVU Vice-Chancellor N.
Prabhakara Rao explained
how statistical science plays
a key role in analysing a concept
and draw inferences,
while averring that disciplines
like arts, physics, biology,
mathematics and
engineering sciences, medicine,
management and IT
would have little relevance
without Statistics. S.S. Handa, a senior consultant
with Indian Statistical
Institute, Delhi, went
nostalgic on his experiences
with Prof. Mahalanobis as
his student at ISI Calcutta.
B. Naveen Kumar, a research
scholar received a gold medal
instituted in the name of
`Padma Vibhushan' C.R.
Rao. Registrar Y. Venkatrami
Reddy released the souvenir,
while C. Subbarami
Reddy, principal, SVU College
of Sciences, presided. Organising secretary P.
Rajasekhara Reddy welcomed
the gathering and coconvener
C. Umashankar
proposed a vote of thanks. A national workshop on
`The role of statistical thinking
and systems in expanding
the horizon of science'
was conducted as part of the
event, in which former Vice-
Chancellor of Dravidian
University and a recipient of
`Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis
Award 2008', P.V. Arunachalam,
recited Telugu and Sanskrit
verses highlighting the
glory of Statistics. H.K.
Lakshman Rao, a Chennaibased
management consultant
highlighted the emerging
role of statistical
methods. He also explained
how better utilisation of
scarce resources, productivity
and quality improvement
in manufacturing and services
sector can be attained
through adoption of statistical
methods. D. Guha, Director, Central
Statistical Organisation
spoke on probability, the
role of Indian National Statistical
Systems and also
gave a briefing on the official
statistical methodology. K.
Venkata Reddy, Director
(Finance) at AP Eastern
Power Distribution Company
also spoke.
S. Vasudevan, a programme
coordinator with
United States India Educational
Foundation (USIEF)
visited Sri Padmavathi Mahila
Viswa Vidyalayam
(SPMVV) campus last
Monday. He interacted with the
faculty members on the Fulbright
scholarships, one of
the largest academic and cultural
exchange programmes
in the world, and created
awareness on the facilities
available to Indian teachers,
professionals and research
scholars. The programme was intended
to promote mutual
understanding between the
literate people of the USA
and India, besides academic
collaboration aimed at their
personal, academic and professional
growth, he noted. Mr. Vasudevan also explained
the features of Hubert
H. Humphrey Grant,
Fulbright-Nehru CII Fellowship
for Leadership in
Management, Fulbright
-Nehru Environmental Leadership
Programme and
East-West Centre Asia Pacific
Leadership Programme.
Details of these schemes can
be had at www.usief.org.in. The event was organised
by K.A. Parvathy, Fulbright
representative from the varsity's
Department of Women's
Studies.
In connection with the
Doctor's Day celebrations,
SVIMS University conducted
a workshop on `Research
methodology' last Wednesday.
Vice-Chancellor G. Subramanyam
formally inaugurated the event, organised
under the aegis of
SVIMS College of Nursing. The workshop was aimed
at selection of the right
methodology and determining
suitable titles for research.
Latha Venkatesan,
principal, Apollo College of
Nursing, Chennai, explained
the importance of samples
and sampling techniques,
while K. Rajyalakshmi, head
of research at CSI JaCON,
Madurai, spoke on data collection. R. Vasundhara, principal,
Bollineni College of Nursing,
Nellore spoke on `Research
designs', while Tirupati Rao,
an associate professor from
SVU spoke on the importance
of Statistics in nursing
research. SV Medical College principal
P.V. Ramasubba Reddy,
SVIMS Dean B. Vengamma,
Registrar M.S. Moorthy and
Nursing College in-charge
principal P. Sudha Rani were
present. A.D. RANGARAJAN in Tirupati
The Species Survival
Commission of International
Union for Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources
(IUCN) has appointed
B. Ravi Prasad Rao,
Associate Professor in the
Department of Botany in Sri
Krishnadevaraya University
(SKU), Anantapur, on its
five-member panel of the Indian
Subcontinent Plant
Special Group. In the appointment letter,
Chairman of the ISPSG M.
Ahmedullah stated that the
panel would identify and
promote action necessary to
stem the loss of world's biological
diversity broadly
and the bio-diversity in the
Indian subcontinent in particular.
The group would formulate
an operational
strategic plan for conservation
of rare species of plants
on the verge of extinction after
identifying them. The IUCN has been working
more than 100 countries
since 1949 and playing pivotal
role in the conservation
of bio-diversity of different
regions. Accordingly, the five
group members would identify
the species of flora and
fauna on the verge of extinction
in the India subcontinent,
prepare a red list,
consult the experts engaged
in similar work worldwide
and initiate measures to
conserve them.
Dr. Ravi Prasad Rao has
been engaged in research in
environment, bio-diversity
and plant species on the
verge of extinction for the
last 20 years. His research is
focused on the plant species
in the Eastern Ghats. As part
of his research he has identified
more than 100 rare species
of plants. His team of eight research
students is presently working
on the botanical mapping,
identification of rare
plant and studying the impact
of wildfire using remote
sensing methods in the Eastern
Ghats. One of the five scientists
of the Indian subcontinent
to be in the specialist group
of SSC Dr. Rao will be the
member of the SSC-ISPSG
panel from 2009-2012. B.CHANDRASHEKHAR, in Anantapur
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
Making a point: S.P. Mukherjee, former president of ISPS, browsing through the souvenir at the ‘National Statistics Day’ celebrations in Tirupati. He is flanked by ISPS chief P. Rajasekhara Reddy and SVU Vice-Chancellor N. Prabhakar Rao. —