TIFR unit to have new campus in Bangalore

The new campus of International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) will come up by 2012 in Hessaraghatta, about 20 km from the science city here.

Addressing a press after the foundation stone laying ceremony of ICTS, its director Spenta R Wadia said the 17-acre campus will involve an expenditure of over Rs 80 crore just for infrastructure development and will be completed by 2012. The ICTS of TIFR founded in 2007, was conceived to contribute to the growth of excellence in the basic sciences through its programmes, interactions and cross-fertilisation between disciplines.

“ICTS is a multi and inter-disciplinary effort with strong human resource development component. The main goals of ICTS are to foster research, be a resource for high level education and training and reach out to larger society by being a node for scientific information and values,” he said.

Mustansir Barma, director, TIFR, said it was significant that the foundation stone laying ceremony of the ICTS’ new campus was being taken up during the birth centenary of Homi Bhaba, the founder of TIFR.