[Assam] Math First: Harvard & UVa study on college science success

[Ram Sarangapani]

Hi C'da,

I am glad you all had a great weekend. I am trying to send you a nice
response - but it will take some time and serious thinking :)

Till then

--Ram


On 7/29/07, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
>  O' Ram:
>
>
> Hope your weekend is going well. We had a nice kharkhowa gathering, along
> with some  kolgutikhowas and even a couple of desuali  folks last evening.
> This has been the most pleasant of July weather I can recall in our 32 years
> in St. Louis. A light breeze carrying mist from the river kept us
> comfortable, the mosquitos were on vacation, the cicadas were noisy but our
> friends' conversation kept them at bay and my mango-margarita kept everyone
> mellower than the near full-moon's light under a clear sky, until we fared
> our friends well- in whose honor we hosted the gathering--on their impending
> trip to the desert of Rajasthan where he will be teaching business
> management as a Fullbright Scholar
> on sabbatical at Pilani and she will be there to keep him company.
>
>
> Anyway,  I read your thoughts here. As usual, no problems with your being
> a non-engineer. I am not one either. In IIT we, the architecture students,
> were laughed at by our engineering friends, because we did not use
> slide-rules, which was equivalent to looking down upon people who count with
> their fingertips, the lowest of the low-tech lot, a few notches below the
> logarithmatic-table users. We tried to turn the tables by laughing at their
> drawing skills. But they knew how to put us even further down: They told us
> that they will always have draftsmen ( I don't remember hearing of
> draftswomen) to do their dirty work, while we shall remain pencil-pushers
> for ever. That was really below the below the belt, and it hurt.
>
>
> Enough about my sad stories.
>
>
> On the fools'-rush front, I won't hold anyone guilty of crimes that I
> routinely commit. So rest easy there also.
>
>
> By now if you are beginning to fret about   all the nicey-nice leader to
> this response and wondering if I am about spring a tripper on you, relax
> there too. I don't have anything tricky up my sleeve this morning.
>
>
> All I ask is WHAT exactly were you and your cheering section, ably led by
> Krishendu,  trying to prove or disprove ? Once I get a bearing on that, I
> will be pleased to share my thoughts.
>
>
> Take care.
>
>
> c-da
>
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> At 9:16 AM -0600 7/28/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>
> C'da
>
>
>
> Being a non-engineer, and susori-musori pass kora individual, I may not be
> qualified to comment in this high-flying math/engg. debate - but
> nevertheless, I will try... you know, "fools rush in where angels...."
>
>
>
> One, is it is generally recognized that Indian graduating from Indian
> schools are good in math/science. Not because they boast about it, but
> because they just are. There are extremely bright people there.
>
> Most of the people who have been a big success in this and other countries
> have had their "fundas" from India, and most Assamese from the Engg.
> colleges in Assam, and education in cotton or GU or DU.
>
>
>
> Second, you charge that because you don't see contributions from these
> people in India, then obviously these graduates are Not creative etc.
>
>
>
> It is possible that even though these Indians may be creative and
> intelligent, but may NOT be willing or are not able to contribute to
>
> societies they came from. Maybe, they came to the USA to make more money
> (read better opportunities).
>
> While, I do not think there is anything wrong with that, let us realize
> that  there are many many people in India who are just as capabale or better
> than immigrants to the US and who have contributed to Indian's growth and
> development.
>
>
>
> Third, if these people were not creative in India, how is it that these
> very same people with the basic fundamentals from India have suddenly become
> creative here? Did they suddenly sprout wings?
>
>
>
> Lastly, (and I may the loner here) - Math & science are great, but let us
> not put down other branches. There are many world leaders
> (Kennedy/Gandhi/Nehru etc) who have come from non-science, non-tech
> backgrounds, but have been instrumental in development and broad visions for
> their countrues.
>
>
>
> If it wasn't for Nehru, many today would NOT have gone to the IITs. Yes,
> those same IITs that have enabled many to build careers in the US and in
> India. Yes, those same IITs that have built the very foundations that they
> so easily rubbish today.
>
>
>
> If it wasn't for JFK, man may not have gone to the moon. A country needs
> visionaries, just like it needs bright people from every other branch.
>
>
>
> More later
>
>
> --Ram
>
>
>
> On 7/28/07,* Chan Mahanta* <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
> >By this logic, with so many successful Indian
> Engineers and Scientists in US and other countries the
> primary math foundation laid by Indian School system
> must be excellent.
>
>
> *** Can you cite some statistics, or even educated guesses on how "
> many successful Indian
> Engineers and Scientists in US and other countries" are there, and
> what percentage is that of :
>
> A: Total number of scientists and engineers produced by India?
>
> B: Total number of people of the demographics of which these are a
> segment and how the rest are doing ?
>
>
> C: HOW these "successful" products of an 'excellent' Indian education
> system have contributed to India's well being?
>
> D: How the rest of the 'excellent' Indian education system have
> contributed to India's well being?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 6:36 AM -0700 7/28/07, Krishnendu Chakraborty wrote:
> >  >>Can you cite India's contributions to it?
> >
> >
> >Yes ---- Chandan Mahanta :)
> >
> >
> >>>>>   If your primary math
> >foundation is weak, you will never get to do intensive
> >math at high
> >school, forget science and engineering.
> >
> >By this logic, with so many successful Indian
> >Engineers and Scientists in US and other countries the
> >primary math foundation laid by Indian School system
> >must be excellent.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >_________________________________________________________________
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