Thursday, July 31, 2008

Miscellaneous, 31st July, 2008

Inching towards perennial wheat? Dr.Stan Cox of the Land Institute describes the status of research..
There seems to be very little research in this direction in India. Some of the problems for scientists from developing countries are discussed by Priya Shetty in
Comment: The developing world needs its own science journals.
T.V. Padma on development and obesity. Apparently, a Study finds Chinese obesity rates soaring.
The July 26 EPW has several articles on D.D.Kosambi. M.S.Raghunathan in Artless innocents and ivory-tower sophisticates: Some personalities on the Indian mathematical scene mentions Andre Weil's admonition: ‘Young man, I find that people who know nothing about Kosambi want to talk about him! Let me tell you this: he was one of the finest intellects to come out of your country.’ Raghunathan also describes the work of K. Chandrasekharan in developing modern mathematics in India; Raghunathan's opinions are close to my own. But I also feel that for right persons to build in the early stages of development is easier than when the numbers are greater and special interests are entrnched and the institutions begin to reflect the general culture outside. A sure sign of warning is when parents and children start working in the same institutes.

No comments: