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Dr. B. Hariharan
It is a great honour and privilege to hold the office of the President of Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute. I take this opportunity to thank each one of you for giving me your confidence and trust to serve this unique bi-national institution and look forward to working with you. The pandemic wave is yet to subside. But we have been resourceful enough to tide over these rough waves and will continue to do so.
Our dialogues in the form of virtual workshops and conferences and the serious engagement with the matching and mapping workshops testify to the way SICI continues to discover innovative ways of critical engagement with stakeholders and ideas during adverse times. Living up to its mandate, SICI emphasized that even when physical travel and mobility are severely impaired it is still possible to engage with people and institutions. The fact that the Institute is doing this third year in a row speaks of its commitment to engage with partner institutions to discover and address concerns that require short term and long-term focus.
Team SICI was able to renew its commitment towards all the institutional members when it was able to sign again an MoU with MITACS before we had our Annual General Meeting (AGM). I am sure that this will open even more opportunities for research and greater mobility for scholars. This MoU is also a recognition of the presence of all the stakeholders who have stood by SICI all these years strengthening institutional and individual connections. It is testimony and acknowledgement of such an engagement that we continue to get fresh applications for membership.
The mandate of the present team of office bearers is to ensure that we take forward the initiatives we set to realize when the pandemic played havoc with the familiar rhythm of life. I look forward with hope to see the MoU happening between SICI and the Government of Alberta in a few months. This can truly open up the possibility of engaging with other federal governments in Canada and can also emerge as a viable model for engagement with the different states in India. I find myself waiting hopefully at the doorway to be informed that the Addendum is ready to be inked between Government of India and SICI.
I would like to conclude this note by placing on record my sincere thanks to the former President Dr. John Kershaw who juggled his time for all the meetings with remarkable energy. It was a learning experience to work with him. His presence at the India office on the eve of the Indian Members’ Council meeting and the AGM and engagement with H.E. Cameron Mackay, High Commissioner of Canada to India and Ms. Neeta Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education was an important gesture from his side. I take this opportunity to say that Dr. Prachi Kaul and her team of seasoned colleagues have helped sail the ship across rough seas very prudently. The Canadian Office continues to strengthen its engagement with federal governments and institutions articulating the strength of bi-national engagement thus providing the right balance to open communication channels. I am sure that with the experience and expertise of the Executive Council members, we will be able to steer the ship and ride the tide.
Let me sign off with the hope that all of us will soon be able to meet each other in-person and share again the joy of coming together in academic fellowship. I wish everyone the best of health. The SICI family is always there to enhance the engagement between the two nations upholding its bi-national commitment.
Thank you.
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Indian Members' Council
& Annual General Meetings
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This year SICI's Indian Members' Council and Annual General Meetings were held virtually on June 4, 2022. These meetings are SICI’s pre-eminent events. In addition to the statutory obligations, these meetings provide insight into SICI’s ongoing activities with a focus on emerging trends in the higher education and research arenas across India and Canada and a forum for members to meet and network. The meetings gathered members and guests from the top leadership of its member institutions and partner organizations from India and Canada. Gracing the occasion were His Excellency Ajay Bisaria, the outgoing High Commissioner of India to Canada and Dr. John Hepburn, CEO & Scientific Director, Mitacs. Dr. John Kershaw, the outgoing President of SICI, passed the baton to Dr. B. Hariharan, incoming President of the Institute and together they shared and announced SICI's new initiatives in the upcoming year.
The newly elected members in SICI's Executive Council are Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Chair - Nomination Committee, Dr. Souvik Bhattacharya, Member at-large, SICI, and Dr. Anand Pawar, Member, Nomination Committee.
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During the AGM and in his farewell interaction with SICI, H.E. Ajay Bisaria emphasised the need for Indian and Canadian governments to work pro-actively collaborate with academia, which is well-organized and preserved by SICI for past 50 plus years.
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The AGM also witnessed the MOU renewal of Mitacs-SICI partnership for next 5 years with an ambitious goal of 200 students (undergraduates/integrated Master's course) from SICI's member universities in India undertaking 12-week research project at Canadian universities under Globalink Research Internship programme. On the other hand, the Mitacs-SICI Globalink Research Award will support large scale research collaborations (up to 5 interns per application) between SICI’s Indian and Canadian member institutions, as well as individual research projects.
Mr. John Hepburn expressed that Mitacs was happy to be a part of the deepening of India-Canada relations by allowing young students to gain exceptional experience through mobility in both the directions.
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Top Recruiters Workshop 2022 hosted by ApplyBoard
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On June 16, Dr. Prachi Kaul, Director, SICI, participated as a special guest speaker at ApplyBoard's Top Recruiters Workshop 2022. The event united international education industry professionals for two days packed with learning, networking and fun. This year's theme was "Diverse Opportunity for a Global Future" which was also the title of the panel session graced by Dr. Kaul. The panel was moderated by Ms. Priyanka Srivastava Senior Editor, Education Times by The Times of India. In her talk, Dr. Kaul especially emphasised on the need to remain cautious and transparent when recruiting students to fully achieve their study abroad dream. |
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A Talk on "Origins of Complex Solvent Effects on Chemical Reactivity and Computational Tools to Investigate Them” |
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Prof. Samir H. Mushrif, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada visited the Indian Institute of Technology Indore, India during July 19-21, 2022. The visit of Prof. Mushrif was a part of the SICRG project with Prof. Sanjay Kumar Singh, IIT Indore. During the visit, Prof. Mushrif delivered a Talk on "Origins of Complex Solvent Effects on Chemical Reactivity and Computational Tools to Investigate Them”. The International Relations of IIT Indore also arranged a short interaction session, where Prof. Mushrif discussed the "Study and Opportunities in higher studies, Work and Life in Canada" with the students of IIT Indore.
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Showcasing and Disseminating Knowledge
and Research (SDKR) series:
Dr. Darrin Richeson & Dr. Gyaneshwar Kumar Rao
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SICI hosted Dr. Darrin Richeson, Professor, Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Canada, and Dr. Gyaneshwar Kumar Rao, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Forensic Science, Amity University, Haryana, India on July 22, 2022, under its SDKR series that features SICI fellows who share their academic and research journey. During the conversation with audience, Dr. Richeson and Dr. Rao discussed how SICI's grant helped them to continue to collaborate through training and exchange of highly qualified personnel from India. |
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On July 31, Dr. Prachi Kaul delivered valedictory remarks at the International Conclave on Multi-Targeted Therapeutics in Unani and Ayurvedic Medicine & Food Supplement organized by the Center of Excellence in Unani Medicine, The School of Pharmaceutical Education & Research at Jamia Hamdard University in Delhi. The Conclave reviewed, discussed and explored the scope of current research topics related to traditional medicine specially Unani and Ayurved, ethnopharmacology, medicinal plants, herbal drugs, food supplements and natural products.
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Sign up for SICI's upcoming
Short-term Virtual Course today!
Artificial Intelligence in Robotics
Starts October 1, 2022
Register (avail early bird discount!)
Economic Analysis of Law
Starts October 11, 2022
Start your journey to learn & grow NOW!
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Establishment of Indian Studies Chair at the
University of Calgary
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On June 29, 2022, Mr. Manish Gupta, Consul General of India in Vancouver, signed an agreement on behalf of Indian Council for Cultural Relations to bring a visiting Chair to the University of Calgary. With the establishment of Indian Studies Chair, the students at UCalgary will have the opportunity to attend courses taught by the Chair, who will be teaching two undergraduate or graduate courses per semester.
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Online India-Dalhousie Student Research Symposium
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On July 21, 2022, Dalhousie University convened the inaugural online India-Dalhousie Student Research Symposium with its Indian partner institutions (and fellow SICI members) IIT Tirupati, IIT Guwahati, IIT Ropar and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Aimed at addressing common challenges via research and innovation, this multilateral symposium brought together all partners’ most promising senior undergraduate and graduate students in a virtual knowledge-sharing event that highlighted research solutions to common challenges in the fields of Precision Agriculture, Computer Science, Medicine and Water S&T. Participating students presented their research to a cross-institutional audience of over 50 faculty, staff and fellow presenters, creating partnership networking opportunities as well as showcasing the work of their best student researchers internationally.
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Prof. Mohd. Zahid Ashraf Receives the Prestigious Visitor's Award from President Ram Nath Kovind |
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Prof. Mohd. Zahid Ashraf, Head of the Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University and a Shastri Institutional Collaborative Research Grant (SICRG) fellow, received the prestigious Visitor’s Award from President Ram Nath Kovind on June 7, 2022, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Prof. Ashraf received the award for his pioneering research on resolving the mystery of blood clotting on exposure to hypoxia at high altitudes.
Heartiest congratulations, Dr. Ashraf!
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Dr. Janaka Ruwanpura is the Recipient of Canada's
Top 25 Immigrant Awards 2022 |
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Dr. Janaka Ruwanpura, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President Research (International), University of Calgary, has been selected as a Top 25 Canadian Immigrant of 2022 by the Canadian Immigrant Magazine. This prestigious people’s choice award honours inspirational immigrants who have positively impacted their communities since arriving in Canada and recognizes the achievements of all immigrants, including community advocates, volunteers, successful entrepreneurs, and cultural icons.
Heartiest congratulations, Dr. Ruwanpura!
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Breaking the niche: multidimensional nanotherapeutics for tumor microenvironment modulation - K. Laxmi Swetha, Kavya Sree Maravajjala, Shyh-Dar Li, Manu Smriti Singh & Aniruddha Roy; Shastri Institutional Collaborative Research Grant (SICRG) 2019-20
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Rationally synthesized Mo2N nanopyramids for high-performance flexible supercapacitive electrodes with deep insight into the Na-ion storage mechanism - Bhanu Ranjan, Gagan Kumar Sharma, and Davinder Kaur; Shastri Mobility Programme (SMP) 2019-20
- Estimating Li-ion storage in the semiconducting nanocomposite of 2D-MoS2 decorated aluminium nitride nanoflowers for flexible electrodes of supercapacitors - Gagan Kumar Sharma, Bhanu Ranjan, and Davinder Kaur; Shastri Mobility Programme (SMP) 2019-20
- Tuning growth of MoS2 nanowires over NiTiCu nanostructured array for flexible supercapacitive electrodes with enhanced Li-ion storage - Bhanu Ranjan, Gagan Kumar Sharma, and Davinder Kaur; Shastri Mobility Programme (SMP) 2019-20
- Magnetic field tunable ferromagnetic shape memory alloy-based SAW resonator - Pradeep Kumar, Vinita, Shuvam Pawar, Jitendra Singh, and Davinder Kaur; Shastri Mobility Programme (SMP) 2019-20
- Two-dimensional MoS2 reinforced with Cu3N nanoflakes prepared via binder less sputtering route for flexible supercapacitor electrodes - Gagan Kumar Sharma, Bhanu Ranjan, and Davinder Kaur; Shastri Mobility Programme (SMP) 2019-20
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Aquatic and human health risk assessment of Humanogenic Emerging Contaminants (HECs), Phthalate Esters from the Indian Rivers - Arun Elaiyaraja, Murugasamy Mayilsamy, Krishnamoorthi Vimalkumar, Nishikant Patil Nikhil, Peer Muhamed Noorani, Vijayakumar Bommuraj, Nooruddin Thajuddin, Martin Mkandawire and Ramaswamy Babu Rajendran; Shastri Mobility Programme (SMP) 2018-19
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Re-imagining the Komagata Maru incident: Canadian history through fiction and film - Ragini Chakraborty; Shastri Research Student Fellowship (SRSF) 2017-18
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