The Amrita School of Biotechnology celebrated its 8th Annual Day, Biopulse 2012, on September 5. The day saw the inauguration of two new research laboratories for neurosciences by Sampoojya Swami Amritaswarupanada Puri, President, Managing Board of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.
Emphasizing the need for confidence and fearlessness in the pursuit of personal growth and development, Swamiji shared important insights with the students and the assembled faculty.
“If there is fear, there is no change. Only love can kill fear. Don’t ever feel that you are less smart than somebody else. Don’t ever feel that you are limited. You can do everything and you are needed.”
“You are a part of the entire universe,” Swamiji continued. “The world needs you. The universe definitely needs you. If you don’t perform your duties, the universe misses something. So, without you, something will be missing in existence and nobody can replace that.”
The invited guest of honor, Dr. H. Vijayakumar, CEO, SIDD Life Sciences, Chennai also spoke to the gathering. Known for the significant role he has played in the design and development of an indigenous, bioprosthetic heart valve, Dr. Vijayakumar has been associated with the Amrita School of Biotechnology since its inception in 2004.
“Amrita has made its mark felt in the fields of healthcare, management sciences, engineering sciences,” the invited guest remarked.
Dr. Venkat Rangan, Vice Chancellor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, in his address, noted the significant achievements of the School of Biotechnology during the past eight years.
He recounted how the School was recognized as a national ‘Centre of Relevance and Excellence’ (CORE) in Biomedical Technology under the prestigious TIFAC (Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council) Mission Reach program of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
“Within a short span of time, the School has become known as a top institution for higher learning in biotechnology, bioinformatics and biomedical technology,” he said.
Indeed, the School has made its presence felt with scientific research in life sciences in collaboration with top organizations such as Biocon (Bengaluru), JNCSAR (Bengaluru), IIT Bombay, Lupin Research Labs (Pune), University of Milan, University of Pavia and the Italian Institute of Technology.
Today there are well equipped labs for Analytical, Lentiviral Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Biotechnology, in addition to the new labs for neurosciences that were inaugurated.
“The new laboratories will give us a unique opportunity to try and establish our presence in a relatively important niche area for trans-scientific research,” asserted Dr. Bipin Nair, Dean, Amrita School of Biotechnology.
The formal function ended with Awards of Excellence and Certificates of Appreciation being presented to research scholars for their accomplishments. The rest of the day saw students participate in scientific sessions, including quiz competition and scientific dumb charades, where mind boggling scientific terms were enacted by participants with great enthusiasm, much to the delight of the audience.
The day concluded with a cultural session that showcased artistic talents of the students. The audience was captivated when the stage was lit up by colorful student performances.
September 12, 2012
School of Biotechnology, Amritapuri
