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GDE Meeting : Bangalore, India, 9-11 March 2006

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India Welcomes the LCWS06 Workshop

"Seeing the large effort already achieved within the ILC collaboration, the Indian scientific community will be more enthusiastic to get involved in the linear collider after this workshop." Anil Kakodkar

The Linear Collider Workshop LCWS06, located in Bangalore, was inaugurated by Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy in India on 9 March. In his introduction, Kakodkar expressed his enthusiasm for India hosting this international meeting. In a recent interview, he explained the benefit of participating in an international scientific community, such as the ILC, on the whole society -- from young students to industry.

Full Interview Below:

How do you see the involvement of India in Accelerator Physics?

From our experience in the LHC programme we have learned how participating in an international collaboration could be really rewarding for the Indian scientific and technologic communities in several ways. Being involved in state-of-the-art technologies has a beneficial impact on the development of our domestic programmes. More importantly, such global programmes can attract young students to get into accelerator and also nuclear physics. International collaboration could be more than just ‘scientists to scientists’ cooperation. We can make much larger contributions so to that extent we become partners.

What is the strength of the Indian accelerator institutes?

Accelerator work in India is concentrated in four main centres: The Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology in Indore, the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre in Calcutta, the Inter-University Accelerator Centre of New Delhi and the Mumbai centre, with both Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

How do you consider the relationship with industries?

To my mind, the initial development has to be done within the institutions, where there are less limitations. But when it comes to reproducing at high numbers, it’s always good to go to the industry. And actually these partnerships also have the advantage to contribute to improving the industrial capability.

How do you see involvement an interest of young generation of students in physics in India?

A lot of students get interested in general science when atttending school. Unfortunately, many of them do not go further in scientific fields, probably because of the peer pressure of students’ family and relatives to choose studies in term of career opportunities... That is why it is important to create great careers in science. An international collaboration - like the ILC - is an excellent generator of opportunities for them.

Would you like to share you feelings on this workshop ?

Almost the entire ILC community is here at Bangalore, and it helps me realise its strength and size. Seeing the large effort already achieved within the ILC collaboration, the Indian scientific community will be more enthusiastic to get into the linear collider after this workshop.

-- Youhei Morita and Perrine Royole-Degieux