Rosaiah defends university land for TIFR campus

HYDERABAD - Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah Monday defended the allotment of University of Hyderabad land to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) for setting up its Hyderabad campus.

Rosaiah told reporters that TIFR was not a private company and that it was allotted 209 acres of surplus land of the university in accordance with the rules.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Hyderabad campus of TIFR Tuesday even as a section of students and faculty are opposing the land allotment.

Rosaiah claimed that the state got the second campus of the prestigious institution after tough competition from other states. He pointed out that TIFR planned to invest Rs.2,500 crore in the campus and this would help in the state’s development.

The chief minister promised to compensate the central university for the land by extending other assistance.

Meanwhile, University of Hyderabad’s Vice Chancellor Seyed E. Hasnain also justified land allotment to TIFR. He pointed out that it is an institute of excellence wholly-funded by the Department of Atomic Energy and there was nothing wrong in giving it land.

He said the opposition to the move from some sections was politically motivated. The VC hoped that the institute would help in making the campus a world-class research hub.

TIFR director Mustansir Barma said the Hyderabad campus would start functioning from the next year. It will have world-class labs and facilities to put India in the forefront of research in the emerging areas of science.

It plans to accommodate 200 permanent faculty, 1,000 students and 300 post-doctoral researchers.

TIFR, which was founded by Homi J. Bhabha on June 1, 1945 with the support of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, has already entered into memorandum of understanding with University of Hyderabad to facilitate collaborative research.

Barma said this collaboration between the university and the institute would continue in future.