Dr. Erhard Eppler and Mr. C. Subramaniam are greeted with flower garlands during the inauguration of the Computer Centre, 1973

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1. Special Convocation for Dr. Erhard Eppler 2. Computer Centre Inauguration

Institute Events , Visiting VIPs , Inaugurations

Dr. Eppler, Minister for Economic Co-operation for the Federal Republic of Germany, was the chief guest for the inauguration of the Computer Centre. Mr. Subramaniam (Union Minister for Industrial Development and Science and Technology) inaugurated the centre. The inauguration was held at the Central Lecture Theatre (CLT)

The Computer Centre was set up and inaugurated on 17 November. It was situated in the Building Sciences Block (BSB) at the time. The degree programmes offered were M. Tech. M.S. and PhD. The B. Tech. programme was started around a decade later in the early 1980s. IIT Madras acquired perhaps the most powerful computer in India at the time — the IBM 370/155 system. This was acquired with the help of West Germany under the Indo-German agreement.

Seen in the photograph, from left, Mr. T. N. Venkataraman (Chief Security Officer, in white uniform), Dr. Erhard Eppler (Minister for Economic Co-operation, Federal Republic of Germany, second from left), Mr. C. Subramaniam (Union Minister for Industrial Development and Science and Technology, third from left), Mr. C. V. Sethunathan (Registrar, extreme right) and Mr. A. L. Taylor (Regional General Manager, IBM, India, second from right).

Collection:

Gourishankar Collection

Album Name:

1. Special Convocation for Dr. Erhard Eppler 2. Computer Centre Inauguration

Photograph ID:

001/0266/IMG_0118

Album ID:

0266

Date:

17 November 1973

Photographer:

C. Gourishankar (1936-2002). A geologist by qualification, Gourishankar started his career as a photographer after working for many years with the Geological Survey of India. In everything that he did, Gourishankar strove to achieve flawlessness and impeccable quality. Thus his photography too was characterised by this drive for perfection. Every photograph that Gourishankar took was meticulously planned and shot and printed with diligence and patience. Gourishankar carried out most of the official photography at IIT Madras in the 1960s.

Event:

Inauguration of Computer Centre

Place:

Building Sciences Block (BSB)