PM to inaugurate space institute via tele-link

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the new campus of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) Tuesday through a tele-link function to be held concurrently at the Prime MInister's House and the campus site in Valiamala near here.

The chancellor of IIST is former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Addressing reporters here, IIST director B.N. Suresh said Manmohan Singh would give a special address at 6.45 p.m. Tuesday, and the function would take place at the new campus here.

"This institute has been conceived as the world's first space university and will offer a complete range of academic programmes from the undergraduate to the post graduate level," Suresh said.

K.M. Nair, controller of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), said: "Currently IIST functions from the infrastructure provided at VSSC. Even though the inauguration of the campus is taking place Tuesday, we will move to the new campus only January next year."

The state government will Tuesday formally transfer the ownership of the 54 acres of land free of cost to the IIST.

The campus consists of 100 acres, and the remaining land would be transferred from the VSSC unit at Valiamala.

©IANS