---

FROM PRESIDENT’S DESK

 

Nearly two years have passed since I started writing in IETE Newsletter from the President’s desk. Henceforth my worthy successor, Lt Gen D P Sehgal, a highly decorated Officer, would take on this noble task.

I feel extremely fulfilled with the work that was undertaken and accomplished during my tenure as IETE President.

Past two years have been growth oriented and highly rewarding for the institution. We commenced year-round Golden Jubilee celebrations in Oct 2002 and increased the visibility of IETE by conducting symposia, seminars, workshops and lectures. We conducted as many as 42 major functions during 2002-04. The number of IETE centres rose to 50 from 42, in January 2004. Membership and ISF activities too, registered substantial increase.

Our primary task is a commitment for human resource development in electronics, telecommunication, computer science and information technology, which we have been undertaking through our examination system. The standards and integrity of our examination system is known all over and we have not only maintained but also enhanced the same by updating the syllabi of our subjects.

The IETE Awards enjoy a very high reputation in academia and industry. We have further fine-tuned the existing rigorous criteria for nomination & selection by affecting improvements. Now onwards, each awardee would deliver a lecture on the subject, which qualified him for winning the award. This would help in building the knowledge society and also inspire the people in enhancing their self-motivation capability.

IETE publications have also undergone changes in their looks, contents and availability. Contents of IETE Technical Review have been modified to meet the requirement of the readership. Publications are admired by one and all for their content, value and timely availability and our subscriber base has increased considerably.

We have done a commendable job in our research programme. Today, we have two IETE Research scholars working at our premier institutions in emerging fields of wireless and microwave & radar technologies. IETE Research scholar at IIT Delhi is working on ‘Millimetre Wave Integrated Circuits Using Non-Radiative Dielectric Waveguide Technology for Radar Applications’. The work done by him has been accepted for publication in “Microwave and Optical Technology Letters”, USA. Another IETE research scholar from IIT, Madras is working on “Channel Estimation and Signal Processing for MIMO-OFDM and MC-CDMA Wireless Communications Systems”. His work has been accepted for publication in IEEE Signal Processing letters.

We are now pursuing IETE e-learning programme, which has always been on my priority list. The beginning has been made but we have to go a long way before it is implemented. We have to first create contents for each subject in IETE syllabi and then acquire the infrastructure for its delivery. This requirement assumes the highest priority as e-learning is necessary for taking quality education to the villages and remote areas where majority of our people live. The real economic development and growth of our nation is dependent on uprooting the illiteracy from every nook and corner of India.

Lastly, I would like to thank members: Corporate, Student and Organizational for their selfless service to the IETE, which has been my source of strength throughout.

(PROF K K AGGARWAL)