Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, TRIVANDRUM

November 1, State Formation Day, usually leaves me wondering whether we are better off as a State or as we were before Independence? I am not a secessionist (not yet, lol!) but one can't help wondering what we gained in the bargain.

On a much brighter note, I happened upon the website of one of India's newest brain factories, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, a sort of clone of the world-famous IISc., Bangalore.

The point is that the IISER is in Trivandrum and it has already started functioning! I wonder why not even a single member of our ever-voluble media community has bothered to do an article on this prestigious institution, which is already being incubated on the sprawling campus of our resident brain bank, the College of Engineering Trivandrum? Doesn't the establishment of a world-class institute, which may soon take over the mantle held by the IITs, have any news value at all?

I remember the hulla-bloo when there was talk of upgrading another institution in the State, CUSAT, to national-standards. Although that seems to have gone nowhere till date, the proposal got front page coverage for a few months. Now that there is a bonafide IISER operating in Trivandrum, everyone seems to have misplaced their tom-toms.

Perhaps, it is the Govt.'s fault that they didn't trumpet the handover of the 200-acre land parcel at Vithura properly. Just as they didn't burst any crackers when the campus of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology was handed over to ISRO, after months of controversy.

But developments in Trivandrum happen quietly, which seems the best strategy in Kerala where publicity seems only to lead to controversy and downfall. Better action than mere words!

But, how long can our media keep ignoring Vizhinjam, Technocity, IISST, IISER and their ilk ? Not for long, I am sure!