A gentleman addresses the audience during the symposium on Introduction of SI system

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Seminars , Administrators , Institute Events

The programme was probably held at the Chemistry Lecture Theatre. This assumption has been made based on the fact that there is a periodic table in the room.

We are yet to find the exact date and year of the event. Brief details of the event are written on the envelope in which the negatives of this album are preserved. The writing says “IIT Symposium. SI metric System”. It is likely that the event took place during Prof. R. G. Narayanamurthi’s tenure as Director of the Institute (1977-1979).

A file from the Archives of IIT Madras, documenting the Director’s speeches and messages (1977 to 1981) contains a foreword written by Prof. R. G. Narayanamurthi (Director) dated 7 February 1978. The foreword was for the handbook “Design Data Handbook” by Prof. K. Mahadevan and Prof. K. Balaveera Reddy of Karnataka Engineering College, Surathkal. The main feature of the handbook was the introduction of SI units, possibly the first handbook to cover the topic in India. It is likely that there was some connection between the symposium and the release of the handbook.

The speaker is yet to be identified. Prof. R. G. Narayanamurthi (Mechanical Engineering Department) is seated on the stage (closest to the podium). The other persons in the photograph are also yet to be identified.

Album 0214

Collection:

Gourishankar Collection

Album Name:

Symposium on SI System

Photograph ID:

001/0214/IMG_0280

Album ID:

0214

Place:

Probably Chemistry Lecture Theatre

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.