Page 4 - SAU Connect March 2019

The Quarterly Newsletter of South Asian University | Volume 3 Issue 3 March 2019

Dr.SharmareadoutthemessagefromthePrimeMinisterofIndiaMr.NarendraModitoallfellowcitizens
of SAARC member states on the occasion of 34th SAARC Charter Day: “As a founding member of SAARC,
India is committed to strengthening regional cooperation and integration. Our initiatives in recent years,
such as the launch of South Asia Satellite, extension of India’s National Knowledge Network to South
Asian countries and ever continued support to the South Asian University and the SAARC Disaster
Management Centre (Interim Unit) are geared towards promoting people-to-people contacts and
connectivityintheregion.”

Dr. Sharma also updated the audience about the construction of the permanent campus of the university
whichisgoingonatabriskpaceinMaidanGarhi,NewDelhi.Thefirstphaseofconstructionisexpectedto
becompletedby2019.

Apaneldiscussiononthetopic“MathematicsSpansAllDirections”wasorganisedaspartoftheevent.BK
Dass, former Professor of Mathematics at University of Delhi; Sat Gupta, Professor of Mathematics and
Statistics at University of North Carolina, Greensboro; Shankar Kumar, Department of History, Hindu
College, University of Delhi; Haneet Gandhi, Department of Education, University of Delhi; Chandrima
Majumdar, sarod player and theoretical expert in Indian classical music; and Akul Tripathi, Content Head
of Epic Channel, participated in the discussion. The panellists spoke on diverse aspects of the topic,
including the role of mathematics in everyday life; connections between culture and classical knowledge
of mathematics; mathematics in ancient Indian history, music, religion and medicine; mathematics
inspiringotherbranchesofscienceandviceversa;andmathematicsinthecourtoflaw.

Mr. Amjad Hussain Sial, Secretary-General of SAARC, had also extended his warmest felicitations to the
peoplesandGovernmentsoftheconstituentcountriesofSAARContheoccasion.

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