| Department | : | Library & Information Science |
| HOD | : | Prof.(Dr.) Bulu Maharana |
| Designation | : | Professor & HOD |
| Qualification | : | M.A. (Economics), MLISc., M.Phil, Ph.D |
| Teaching Exp. | : | More than 21 Years |
| Phone No. : | : | +91 8327789475 |
| Email : | : | bmaharana@suniv.ac.in |
This is the first Postgraduate Department of Library & Information Science in Odisha established by Sambalpur University in 1976. It started with BLISc Programme and later in 1993 added one-year MLISc Programme. To keep pace with the UGC Model Regulation-2001, the truncated programme of BLISc & MLISc was converted into two-year integrated Master in Library and Information Science under Semester-cum-Course Credit System. Subsequently, the department was designated as the Nodal Centre for Doctoral and Post Doctoral Research. For excellence in academics and research, the Department was inducted under UGC-DRS Special Assistance Programme during 2002-2007. By 2022, 56 research scholars have been awarded Ph.D, 100 students awarded M.Phil and more than 2000 students have been awarded with MLISc Degrees. The Department has created a special position in the map of LIS education and research in the country. To its credit, a large number alumni are placed in various senior positions in premier institutions in the country such as IITs, IIMs, NITs, CSIR institutions, and in leading corporate sectors. The MLISc syllabus is industry oriented and incorporates latest technologies and applications in the field with practical, projects, internship and experiential learning modules.
The physical and academic infrastructure comprises well equipped E-class rooms, Computer Laboratory with 24 desktop computers with latest configuration, printers, scanners and Interactive Digital Board for practical purposes. All the computers are connected to internet through LAN facility and required and Wi-Fi facility in campus. Students have access to different open-source software for library application and also e-resources from EBSCO, Science Direct & E-Sodhsindhu. The Department also organizes several events like study tour, workshops, seminars, guest lectures by eminent academics from India and abroad, etc.
The Department of Computer Science and Applications is proud to house the state-of-the-art Param Shavak Super Computer. This powerful computing system, equipped with two multicore CPUs, each boasting a minimum of 12 cores, offers a peak computing power ranging from 2 to 5 Tera-Flops, making it an invaluable asset for our academic and research endeavors. With 64 GB of RAM and 8 TB of storage, it accelerates data processing and storage capacity, facilitating advanced computational research. The addition of an NVIDIA GP 100 accelerator card further enhances its capabilities. The Param Shavak comes pre-loaded with parallel programming development tools and resource management utilities, simplifying the execution of complex simulations and computations. Our department takes pride in providing students, researchers, and faculty members with an indigenous HPC portal, CHReME, and an applications interface, Onama, offering easy access to a suite of HPC applications tailored to various scientific domains, from bioinformatics to computational fluid dynamics. What sets the Param Shavak apart are its userfriendly features, including pre-loaded parallel programming development tools, resource management utilities, and the convenience of the indigenous HPC portal. Moreover, the system comes pre-packaged with a suite of HPC applications catering to various domains such as bioinformatics, molecular dynamics, materials science, quantum chemistry, atmospheric modeling, and computational fluid dynamics, making it an indispensable tool for groundbreaking research and simulations across a multitude of scientific disciplines.
( Param Shavak Super Computer )
The Department has signed two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to advance computer education and research. The first MOU, in 2015, involved a partnership with IIT Bombay and was funded by the National Mission on Education through ICT (NMEICT), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. This initiative aimed to provide software training through spoken tutorials. The second MOU, established in 2017, was with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, and was funded by the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan(RUSA), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. This collaboration focused on installing and deploying "PARAM Shavak," a high-performance computing solution, enhancing the University's computing capabilities for advanced research and training to students, research scholars and faculties of the University .
The Department received two significant CSR funds in 2022. The first sponsorship, amounting to Rs. 27,25,865, was provided by the CSR Department of JSW Bhushan Power & Steel Limited, Rengali, Sambalpur, with the aim of supporting the development of a new computer Training Centre. The second sponsorship, totaling Rs. 10,00,000, was generously contributed by UCO Bank's General Administrative Department, Zonal Office, Ainthapali Road, Sambalpur, with a specific focus on establishing a computer Training Centre tailored to the needs of SC/ST students. These funds signify a meaningful partnership between industry and academia, enhancing educational opportunities in computer science and applications for the benefit of students at Sambalpur University, with a particular emphasis on empowering underprivileged communities.
