Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

365telugu.com online news,Hyderabad,May 30th,2022

Bonjour India’s Science Beyond Borders exhibition will be inaugurated at BM Birla Science Centre, on 3rd June at 11 am. The exhibition is open to all and will remain on view until 26th June, 10:30 am to 8 pm, at the BM Birla Science Centre (except Mondays). Science Beyond Borders is part of Bonjour India, an artistic, cultural, educational, and literary initiative by the Embassy of France and its cultural service, Institut Français en Inde, the Alliance Française Network, and the Consulates of France in India. 
During the inauguration, there will be three round table discussions on three germane topics: aviation, visual analytics, and data and development. Shri Jayesh Ranjan, the Principal Secretary of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT) Departments of the Telangana government, Mr Thierry Berthelot, Consul General of France in Bangalore, and Mr KG Kumar, Director of BM Birla Science Centre will be present at the inauguration. Padma Shri Gnana Gandhi Vasudevan will be the Special Guest. 
The exhibition will showcase the shared scientific history of Indo-French scientific collaboration. The initiative will take visitors through some rare snippets of the prized Tata Central Archives, give them a peek into Airbus’ geospatial digital platform, bring to the fore some illustrious records from the Institut Français de Pondichéry, a repository of international research in cultures, environments and societies in South Asia, and delve into the experiences, memories, testimonies of many distinguished personalities from India and France. 
Unbeknownst to most in India, the history of scientific collaboration between India and France runs deep. A meeting between Jacques Blamont, the founder of the French Space Agency (CENS), and Mr. Vikram Sarabhai, founder of the Indian space programme, served as the launching pad of the Indian space programme. India’s nuclear programme was also a collaboration with France. On 17th January, 1950, Frédéric Joliot-Curie, then Chairperson of the French CEA (Atomic Energy Commission) offered, during a meeting with Homi Bhabha held in Delhi, to share technical information on the purification of uranium, graphite reprocessing, and designs of a low power reactor in exchange for India’s export to France of thorium, beryllium, and uranium.
The first sonic boom in India was heard when a Mystere jet, manufactured by France’s Dassault Aviation, was flown over New Delhi by Wg Cdr Dilbagh Singh in a demonstration flight for Prime Minister Nehru on 17 May 1957. Visitors will learn more about the part played by French aviators in the development of aviation in India. They’ll learn about Henri Picquet, who was the first person in India to take to the skies. They’ll also learn about other aviators who shaped aviation in India in the early part of the last century. 
JRD Tata’s French connection is a highlight. His French ancestry and fascination with France’s education system played a part in building some of the merit-based educational institutions in India too. 
The exhibition will reveal French mathematician André Weil’s role in restructuring the Department of Mathematics of the Aligarh Muslim University in the 1930s. He was passionate about Sanskrit studies and brought in mathematician DD Kosambi, who himself was fluent in many European languages, on board.  
Instead of delving into the technical nuances of scientific discoveries and achievements, the exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to hear stories about the interactions of the people behind such discoveries, learn the historical significance of such scientific collaboration, and see how these partnerships continue shaping our world today. 
Speaking about the upcoming Science Beyond Borders exhibition, Dr Samuel Berthet, Director – Alliance Française of Hyderabad, also one of the contributors to the exhibition said, “India is rapidly ascending to great power status. Breakthrough scientific discoveries by Indian scientists will accelerate this ascent. France is a leading scientific power and an ideal collaborator for India. For both countries to work together confidently in the coming decades it is crucial to know and celebrate the successes and interactions they had in the past. Science Beyond Borders will bring to the fore France’s engagement with Indian science and pique interest among the younger generation of Indians to strengthen such collaboration.” 
Mr Thierry Berthelot, Consul General of France in Bangalore reiterated that “It is important while building new research projects in science today to know about the background, history and all that our two nations have already achieved together. This exhibition showcases some great examples in this context. The exhibition features stories across mathematics, medicine, nuclear science, biodiversity, aviation, physics, visual analytics, locomotives, cartography, space and more. This shows the immense diversity in fields France and India collaborate.”
For the French teachers who will be visiting the exhibition with their students, an education kit specifically designed for French language classes has been created. Students will discover great Indian and French scientific figures, learn about the Indo-French scientific cooperation and enrich their vocabulary in French.
Guided visits of the exhibition can be planned with the BMBSC for school and university students from any discipline. This is as much an exhibition of history as it is of science and technology. 
The history of science initiative of the Institut Français in India takes you on a first journey into this extraordinary history and the stories of exchanges between the top minds of the two countries across centuries right until the modern day. This history is still unravelling and more stories will join this fascinating array of narrative, adventure and above all, knowledge sharing and fellowship.
Bonjour India’s events are thoughtfully crafted to delight and entertain, and in most cases are freely accessible to the public. The initiative celebrates the partnership between India and France by providing easy access to French and Indian cultural motifs. Its events are meant to entertain audiences of all ages and backgrounds and to lead to lively and friendly discussions. The events celebrate the centuries-long interactions and friendship between India and France. They are tailored for neophytes and enthusiasts alike, serving as venues where families, school children, young adults, and others, mingle, discuss, explore, and forge memories and experiences that are remembered for a lifetime. The settings of many such events are public places that are easily accessible to many people.      
For further information about Bonjour India festival, please visit https://www.ifindia.in/bonjour-india

The Organisers:

Overall, Bonjour India covers 19 cities across the country, showcasing Indo-French expertise and collaboration in innovation, education, research, science and technology, arts and culture. This artistic, cultural, educational and literary initiative is an Indo-French moment put together by the French cooperation network in India mainly comprising of the Embassy of France and its cultural service, the French Institute in India, the Alliance Française network and, the Consulates of France in collaboration with Indian Council for Cultural Relations, with support from various public and private partners.
The French Institute in India (Institut Français en Inde – IFI) is the educational, scientific and cultural department of the Embassy of France in India. It facilitates academic and scientific exchanges between higher institutes of learning and research, enables student mobility, and promotes the French language, and artistic and cultural partnerships. Cooperation between India and France takes place through a number of sectors: Arts & Culture, Books, Ideas, French Language & Education, the Study in France programme, Academic Partnerships, Science Technology, as well as Innovation and Multimedia. www.ifindia.in 

Alliance Française in India:

The 14 Alliance Française centres across India are part of a worldwide network of associations founded more than 135 years ago, established in 133 countries and welcoming nearly 500,000 learners every year. Enrolling at an Alliance Française centre in India is an opportunity to learn the French language, discover France and explore the unique character, diversity, history, heritage and gastronomy of the country. Quality courses, a warm welcome, professionalism, innovative methods, cultural programmes, a friendly atmosphere – everything is in place to ensure that French learning becomes an unforgettable experience. www.afindia.org