Radio Research in India

Abstract

MANY readers of NATURE will recall that, during his recent visit to Great Britain, Prof. S. K. Mitra expressed a desire to see a Radio Research Board established in India to carry out research of a fundamental nature on radio communication in a manner analogous to the working of the corresponding British Board. While this scheme had the enthusiastic support of eminent British authorities, there appears to be some difficulty in getting the Government of India to take a favourable view of the project. An article in the Amrita Bazar Patrika refers to a speech made recently on this subject in the Physics Department of the University of Allahabad. It is reported that in the opinion of the Government, the research station attached to the All-India Radio Organization will be able to conduct all the research work required for the time being. As Prof. Mitra points out, however, there is a great need for the setting up of a fully equipped Radio Research Board laboratory where more fundamental work can be conducted by experienced workers from the universities without in any way overlapping or interfering with the more applied work of the broadcasting organization. In England, the British Broadcasting Corporation conducts research on its own particular problems independently of the wider and more fundamental work of the Radio Research Board. Arrangements are in force whereby close liaison is maintained between the two organizations as necessary, and this is found to be of mutual advantage.