Computer Programming: Computers and computer programming had started making some ripples in 1968. It was the time of main frame computers and the access to computers was not available to the common man. However, the stories about, what computer is and what computer does and what computers can do, were taking rounds and everybody was inquisitive about knowing something about the computer. It was under these conditions, that, we conducted a week’s programme on computer programming at Jodhpur Polytechnic during the summer of 1968. We did not have a computer and the nearest places available for running the programmes were Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. The duration of the course was six days from Monday to Saturday. The basic intention was to provide an exposure to all those people, who were likely to be in the thick of it, in the days and years to come. All lectures were written out and the flow charts of some of the common problems, which the computers could handle were prepared, followed by programming in FORTRAN. We were expecting ten to twelve persons to participate and therefore, after cutting the stencils, twenty five copies of the write ups were cyclostyled. There were no photocopiers or printers during those days. On the first day of the programme, we found that there were more than thirty persons attending the programme. Next day the number exceeded fifty and by the time, we were on the closing day, we found that 125 persons had participated, which included most of the senior functionaries of the state government and defence services stationed at Jodhpur.
Everybody knew that he was not going to become a programmer in six days, but, the duration was sufficient to provide a broad exposure about the potential of, what was coming. Some of the participants, who had written some programmes during the course, went to Pilani and Kanpur for running the programmes. Fifty years have passed since then and to-day, nothing is needed, because almost everything is available on the finger trips of everybody.
Indian society for technical education: Indian society for technical education is a national body of engineers and engineering institutions of the country. It was established in 1968 and is basically involved in the promotion and development of technical education in India. Professor Rajinder Nath Dogra, who was working as Director of IIT Delhi at that time was the founder president of Indian society for technical education. Prof Dogra completed his Master’s degree in highway engineering from University of London. Subsequently, he worked in Public Works Department of Punjab and was involved with planning and design of highways of the state. He was also associated with the development of master plan of Chandigarh. Thereafter, he worked as Principal of Punjab Engineering College Chandigarh. He joined the College of Engineering and Technology at Delhi in 1961. When the institute was upgraded in 1963, Prof RN Dogra became the first director of IIT Delhi. Prof RN Dogra was a very soft speaking and smooth sailing individual and a patient listener. Indian Society for Technical Education and All India Council for Technical Education gradually developed as representative national bodies under his stewardship. Indian Society for Technical Education was closely associated with National Science Foundation of United States (NSF) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the promotion of educational programmes for teachers of technical institutions in India.
Ground water resources: Indian Society for Technical Education was deeply involved in the promotion of summer programmes for teachers of engineering colleges and polytechnics. The courses used to be of four to six weeks duration and were conducted during the summer vacations of the institutions in May and June. National Science Foundation and United States Agency for International Development used to support this activity of Indian Society for Technical Education by providing funds and the services of technical experts drawn from the universities and colleges of USA. Ground Water Resources was an upcoming subject and we were happy to get an opportunity to conduct a six week course for polytechnic teachers at Jodhpur Polytechnic in the summer of 1969. Indian Society of Technical Education sponsored the programme, provided funds and made available the services of American experts.
Ground water is one of the biggest resources of the world for the survival of animal and plant life on our planet. Ground water reservoirs are vast, running from city to city, state to state and country to country, with sub-soil water flowing leisurely from one place to another. Water is drawn from the ground water reservoirs at millions and perhaps billions of points at the remotest parts of the planet and is recharged by direct rainfall trickling through the ground and overflows of rivers during floods. Ground water is commonly used for drinking watersupply and for irrigation. However, in waterlogged areas ground water has to be drained or pumped out for saving the crops and for making the areas arable and habitable. Excessive withdrawal of ground water and artificial recharge of wells are fast getting all the attention. During construction, dewatering of the construction areas pose serious problems. Sometimes, batteries of wells are used for dewatering operations. The participants of the programme were a keen bunch of teachers. They scoured through the piles of available literature and drilling charts and finally, chose some of the specific areas or problems for presenting papers and pep-talks. The interactive sessions and seminars did the rest. Last week of the course was utilized for field trips of the participants to familiarize them with sinking and drilling operations of wells and tubewells and ground realities about exploitation and preservation of ground water resources.
Water resources Development: Before independence, the economy of India was mostly agricultural, depending on the vagaries of monsoon. During that period, famines and floods were frequent visitors in most of the states. What an irony? There was water and water everywhere during floods, but everybody wanted freedom from the ravages of flood waters. This was closely followed by famines, with parched fields and dry throats and there were prayers for some drops of water to drink. The process for the development of river valley projects was initiated in the country, soon after the end of the second world war for providing relief from the scourge of floods and for harnessing the water and power potential of rivers for development. After independence, river valley projects were undertaken in a big way, in almost all states, Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley, Hirakund, Tungbhadra and a number of major river valley projects were fast coming up and were spearheading the transformation of the landscape and economy of the country. That was the time, when Indian Society of Technical Education sponsored a six week summer programme on water resources development at Jodhpur Polytechnic for polytechnic teachers of the state during May and June 1971. Incidentally, we were able to assemble an experienced faculty drawn from the water resources department of the university of Roorkee and central water and power commission Delhi. All lectures by the distinguished faculty were extremely interactive. The participants were young and enthusiastic. They poured over the project reports of major river valley projects and picked up areas for intense study and presentation of papers. It was all along a great learning process. The closing one week was utilized for visits to Ram Ganga Project and Ganga Canal Works in UP and Bhakra Nangal Project in Punjab to provide the participants an opportunity to have a look at the monuments of change.