FORTRESS launched at PSG
S. Padmini Swaminathan, Director, Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai, speaking at the PSG College of Arts and Science in the city.A Forum for Theoretical and Applied Research in Social Sciences (FORTRESS) to promote the research spirit among students, especially those belonging to the humanities, was launched at the PSG College of Arts and Science here on Friday.Inaugurating the forum, S. Padmini Swaminathan, Director, Madras Institute of Development Studies, said that such forums were the need of the hour to encourage more youth towards research.“It is the responsibility of the teachers to ensure that a second and third line of researchers are created among the student community,” she asserted.“Researchers in their individual capacity may be involved in everyday problem solving. But, when called during times of peace and calamity, they should be able to pitch in as part of a research community,” she added.She lamented that even after so many years post-independence, injustice and inequality continued to prevail. “It is true that change has occurred. It is still continuing to occur. But, there are large parts of the society that have not been touched by change. The growth has not been inclusive. This is clear from the fact that the XI Five Year Plan has called for inclusive development,” Ms. Swaminathan remarked.K. Ramasamy, Reader and Head, Department of Corporate Secretaryship, V. Mohanasundaram, Secretary, FORTRESS, and K. Muralidharan, Joint Secretary, FORTRESS, spoke.
