Prof.R. Subramanian, Director,
M. P. Birla Planetarium attended the XIIIth International Planetarium Directors’
Congress (IPDC)
held in Florida U. S. A. between November 2-9, 1999. Around 118 delegates from
22 countries around the world assembled and participated in the scientific and
technical sessions.
Prof. Subramanian, the Vice-President of this body for the last nine years, (having been elected consecutively at the Congresses at Washington D.C. (1990), Madrid (1993) and at Prague (1996)) was elected as President for the triennium 2000-2002. He is the first Asian to be elected to this post. This is matter of great honour for Prof. Subramanian, our Institution and the Country.
A meeting of the astronomers and planetarians from all over the country would be convened sometime in 2000 where apart from some scientific sessions one particular session may be devoted entirely to matters related to IPDC. This session will begin with felicitations to Prof. Subramanian. The delegates would then deliberate how they can gain advantage in the international scene by this new recognition and how the planetarium movement can be further strengthened in Asia under the stewardship of Prof. Subramanian.
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Professor R.
Subramanian Director M. P. Birla Planetarium 96 Jawaharlal Nehru Road Calcutta 700 071 India Phone: 91-33-22231516 91-33-22236610 Fax: 91-33-22235353 Email: ipdc2002@vsnl.net |
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Dr. David H.
Menke Director Bueheler Planetarium & Science Centre Broward Community College Central Campus 3501 SW Davie Rd. 16-112 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA 33314-1604 Phone: 954-475-6736 Fax: 954-475-2858 Email: FamAstro@aol.com |
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Dr.Asuncion
Sanchez Director Planetario de Madrid Madrid Spain Phone: ( )- 4673461 Fax: ( )-4681154 Email: Asuncion.Sanchez@planetmad.es |
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Dr. Wolfgang
Wacker Director Mannheim Planetarium MannheimD-68024 Germany Phone: 49-621-419420 Fax: 49-621-412411 Email: planetarium.mannheim@t-online.de |
Next conference, IPDC XIV, will be held in Mannheim, Germany in 2002.
XIIITH IPDC (
INTERNATIONAL PLANETARIUM DIRECTORS’ CONGRESS)
(November 2, 1999 – November 9, 1999)
Brief History:
On the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the world’s oldest and most
prestigious Planetarium Directors’ Forum, - the International Planetarium
Directors’ Congress, organised the XIIIth Triennial Conference at Buehler
Planetarium and Science Center at Ft. Lauderdale Florida, USA. It was 40
years back that some of the directors of the renowned Planetaria of USA made and
discussed in New York. It was in 1959 that for the first time some of the
Directors of the American Planetaria met and exchanged information about their
activities. The first conference developed into an International Forum and
the second Congress held the deliberations at the two German Planetaria in
Bochum and Munich. Since then the Conferences were held every three years:
in 1969 in Vienna (Austria), in 1972 in Toronto, Rochester and Chicago
(Canada-USA). The 5th Congress took place at Prague (Czechoslovakia) and
Chorzow (Poland) in 1975. The 6th one had its deliberations at Nagoya
(Japan) in 1978. The M. P. Birla Planetarium, Calcutta had the honour of
hosting the 7th IPDC. It was at this Congress that at the initiative of
Prof. R. Subramanian, Director of M. P. Birla Planetarium that a high powered
scientific delegation from the Soviet Union consisting of the Lenin Medalist Dr.
Portsevisky (Director of the Moscow Planetarium and Observatory) and Prof.
Vladislavlev Vice-Chairman of the prestigious Znania Society of the Soviet
Union participated for the first time in the deliberations. The VIII IPDC
was jointly held by the Stuttgart Planetarium, the Hamburg Planetarium and the
Wilhelm Forster Observatory and Planetarium at Berlin. Some of the
sessions were also held at the world famous observatories of Germany including
the Hamburg observatory housing among other great telescopes, the giant
Schmidt. The Moscow Planetarium and Observatory hosted the IXth IPDC with
sessions also at the “Space City” in the outskirts of Moscow, containing all the
back ups of Soviet Rockets, Space probes and modules. The Xth IPDC held at
Air and Space Museum of Washington and at the Heyden Planetarium of New
York. At this Congress Prof. R. Subramanian was elected the Vice-President
of the International Planetarium Directors’ Congress. The XIth IPDC was
hosted by the Madrid and Pamplona Planetariums of Spain. At the scientific
business meeting of this Congress Prof. R. Subramanian was re-elected
Vice-President of the International Body.
The XIIth International Planetarium Directors Congress was convened jointly from 5th November, 1996 to 12th November, 1996 in three countries of Hungary (Budapest), Austria (Vienna) and Czech Republic (Prague). The technical sessions were held in Planetariums as also in well known observatories. The scientific business meeting was held in Prague and Prof. R. Subramanian, Director, M. P. Birla Planetarium was again elected consecutively for the third term. He is the only Asian so far elected to that position.
The XIIIth Congress was held at Florida Atlantic University and Dr. David Menke, Secretary General, IPDC and Director Buehler Planetarium and Science Centre welcomed the delegates from around 20 countries of the world. Dr. Menke is also a professor of astronomy at Broward Community College, Florida. The honorable Harry Venis, Mayor of Davi, Florida and Dr. Willis Holcombe, President of Broward Community College also welcomed the delegates. Prof. Gabriel Munoz, President of IPDC and Planetarium Director Morelia, Mexico formally opened the sessions of the Congress.
The Honourable Mr.Jeb Bush, Governor of the State of Florida, in a thought provoking message said:
"On behalf of the people of Florida, I want to take this opportunity to warmly welcome all of the honoured guests, dedicated educators and the many distinguished Astronomers from countries around the world who have come here to participate in this XIII th International Planetarium Directors’ Congress".
Florida takes great pride in its ever increasing role in Space and Technological Research and development drawn from our long-standing partnerships with the Kennedy Space Centre and with our University Research Programmes. To-day we are excited to welcome such an honoured group of scientific scholars. We are also committed to exploring rapidly emerging opportunities throughout the world to build new and mutually beneficial technology-based partnerships.
Late Dr. Ramatosh Sarkar*, Curator, M. P. Birla Planetarium was awarded
Satyendra Puraskar by the Government of West Bengal, Department of
Science and Technology on 28th February 1999. This Award was given for his
book "MAHAKASH" (meaning Universe) published in 1997. The
award carried a cash amount of Rs. 10,000 and a citation
plaque.
Earlier, in the year 1997, Dr. Sarkar received a cash prize of Rs. 5,000 and a citation by Bangiya Bigyan Parishad for Excellence in Science Writing.
*Deceased : July 12,
1999
AWARD FOR POPULARISATION OF ASTRONOMY
Prof. Amalendu Bandyopadhyay,
Senior Scientist, Research Division, M. P. Birla Planetarium was honoured in
1995 by the National Council For Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC),
Government of India for his life-time contribution to Astronomy Popularisation.
This is the prestigious National Award for best Science & Technology
coverage in Mass Media. Prof. Bandyopadhyay shared this award with another
person and received a cash amount of Rs. 25,000 and a
citation.
