Prof. K. A. V. Pandalai welcomes the gathering during the Computer Centre inauguration, 1973
Institute Events , Inaugurations , Visiting VIPs
In his speech at the inauguration, Prof. Pandalai expressed interest in IIT Madras becoming self-reliant after the German aid ended. According to a report in the book ‘Computer Education in India: Past, Present and Future’, “He appealed to faculty members to think in terms of promoting self reliance, keeping expectations from others to the minimum.”
Prof. Pandalai was the third Director of IIT Madras. He was Director from 1973 to 1977. He is known for having taught the former President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam at the Madras Institute of Technology. In the course of his career, Prof. Pandalai taught at Madras Institute of Technology, IIT Madras, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Stanford University, California, and George Washington University at Washington, USA. He guided M. Tech. / MS and Ph. D. students during his career and published around 100 research papers to his credit.
IBM made a large mural for the occasion upon Prof. Mahabala’s request. It was placed behind the stage of the Central Lecture Theatre (CLT). In this image, it is partially visible behind the distinguished guests who are seated at the stage. It was around 25 feet long and approximately 6-8 feet high, providing a clear image of the machine. After the inauguration, the mural was kept in one of the classrooms in the Building Sciences Block (BSB) where M.Tech. classes were held.
Seen from the left, Prof. K. A. V. Pandalai (Director), Prof. S. Sampath (Deputy Director), Prof. A. Ramachandran (Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India), Dr. Erhard Eppler (Minister for Economic Co-operation, Federal Republic of Germany) and Mr. K. T. Chandy (Chairman, Board of Governors).
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