Kolkata: Presidency University on Tuesday held the first celebration of its first Foundation Day with a lecture by Padmanabhan Balaram, former director of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. The event marked the anniversary of July 7, 2010, when Presidency College was formally declared Presidency University. Balaram was honoured with a memento featuring an original New York Times report on Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose and his demonstrations on plant life.
VC Nirmalya Narayan Chakraborty said, “The university’s glorious past is its greatest strength, and the legacy of its rich academic strength continues to inspire generations of students and researchers.”
Registrar Debajyoti Konar said, “On July 7, 2010, the college was upgraded to Presidency University by a constituent act.”
Balaram delivered a lecture on ‘The origins of life and biological evolution driven by chemistry’. The lecture was followed by an interactive session with students and faculty members.
He said, “JC Bose and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray laid the foundations of modern scientific research in India. Their legacy continues to inspire every generation of scientists.”
The university also announced that it will now celebrate the Foundation Day every year with a lecture. The initiative aims at honouring its academic heritage and inspiring future generations.