AN INDIAN SCIENTIST & SUPER
COMPUTER
A STORY OF INDOMITABLE SPIRIT
SARASIJ MAJUMDER
Vijay Pandurang Bhatkar, an Indian computer scientist, is
popularly known as the father of Indian Super Computer. The Padma Bhushan and
Maharashtra Bhushan awardee, Vijay Bhatkr, led the development of Param supercomputers
in India.
He is the Architect of Super-computing in India
where he led the development of PARAM Super computers, the PARAM 8000 in
1991 and then later the PARAM 10000 in 1998. He is credited with
the creation of several national institutions, notably amongst them being
C-DAC, ER&DC, IIITM-K, I2IT, ETH Research Lab, MKCL and India International
Multiversity.He has been a Member of Scientific Advisory Committee to Cabinet of Govt of India, Governing Council Member of CSIR, India and eGovernace Committee Chairman of Governments of Maharashtra and Goa.
Back in the late 1980’s, India’s Weather Forecasting,
particularly on MONSOON, was very poor, and was affecting our agriculture, and
forecasts for FLOOD. India had requested USA for supply of a Super Computer
titled as CRAY, to be used by our WEATHER FORCASTING SCIENTISTS. But due
to Technology Trade Embargo imposed on India during that time, USA and
other European countries refused to give India a Supercomputer. It
may be noted that Mrs. Gandhi also tried this before, without success.
A Super Computer is also a critical component for developing satellites and nuclear
weapons. These countries refused to supply, and transfer the knowledge
of creating super computers to India, fearing that India might use it to design missiles and warplanes rather
than forecast the weather.
Our Ex-PM, the Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi was deeply
hurt upon this rebuke and turned to Dr. Bhatkar for this issue.
Here is what was the discussion:
“Can we do it?”
Bhatkar answered, “I have not seen a supercomputer as we have no access to
supercomputer, I have only seen a picture of the Cray! But, yes, we can.”
“How long will it take?”
Bhatkar promptly replied, “Less than it will take us in trying to import Cray from US.
“How much money it would
take?
Bhatkar replied, “The whole effort, including building an institution,
developing the technology, commissioning and installing India’s first
supercomputer will cost less than the cost of Cray.
Pleased, the Prime Minister gave the go-ahead for the
project. C-DAC (Pune) summoned scientists from all over the country to work on
one of India’s greatest technology projects and within 3 years, the
extraordinary happened.
In 1991, C-DAC rolled out India’s first indigenous
supercomputer: PARAM 8000.
It was bench-marked at 5 Glops and was the 2nd fastest Supercomputer
in the world at that time.
Today India has made great progress in various areas thanks
to its own Super computer.
As of now, we have 9 Super Computers as listed below :
Aaditya
Anupam
EKA
PARAM Yuv II
SAGA
VIRGO
Vikram-100
PARAM Yuva
Cray XC40
In 2015 Dr. Bhatkar was honoured with Padma Bhushan for
his contribution to science and technology in India.
Presently he is the Chancellor of Nalanda University.
Source:-
1.0 The Little Known Story of How
India's First Indigenous Supercomputer Amazed the World in 1991
2.0 https://www.crazyengineers.com/founders_circuit/dr-vijay-bhatkar-supercomputers
3.0 https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/Jan/28/father-of-indias-first-supercomputer-becomes-nalanda-universitys-chancellor-1564421.html
Image:- GOOGLE
Delighted to know all these. It was not known earlier with do much detail. Thanks Sarasij.
ReplyDeleteMy Pleasure, Friend.
DeleteExcellent article.
DeleteThanks.
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ReplyDeleteI am an avid reader of Majumder's blog. Every other day he presents us with his novel and informative pieces. They are short but informative, I or we have had cursory info. about the topic but he comes with a crisp but self contained brief about the subject.
ReplyDeleteThank you , Sir.
James
Honoured, Mate
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