5 days ago
Mahalanobis' contribution to statistics hailed
Tirupati: Vice-Chancellor of Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV) Prof V Uma lauded the pioneering contributions of Padma Vibhushan awardee and renowned statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, highlighting his instrumental role in data collection and analysis for India's economic and social planning.
She was addressing the 19th National Statistics Day celebrations held on Sunday at SPMVV, commemorating Mahalanobis' 133rd birth anniversary.
The programme, organised by the Indian Society for Probability and Statistics (ISPS), aimed not only to honour Mahalanobis but also to promote statistical literacy and awareness among students and the general public.
Prof Uma emphasised that Mahalanobis' legacy continues to shape national policies, especially in key areas such as agriculture, population studies, and industrialisation. Highlighting the relevance of statistics across disciplines, the Vice-Chancellor noted that it helps researchers draw reliable conclusions and support policy-making with data-backed insights.
Honorary president of ISPS Prof P Rajasekhara Reddy announced that the theme for this year's National Statistics Day, was '75 Years of National Sample Survey.' He recalled how ISPS had envisioned the establishment of a permanent office in Tirupati back in 2008, a dream that has now materialised into a full-fledged Data Science Centre for research and training.
The Data Science Centre and Consulting Cell is expected to become a hub for advanced research, training, and consultancy in cutting-edge areas such as data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. The Centre will also offer a diploma in data science, a two-year MSc in Statistics and Applied Statistics, and evening PG diploma courses in Biostatistics.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Venkata Ikkurthy, a data scientist and clinical SAS programmer based in the USA, stressed the need for a team of well-trained statistical experts who can address the challenging issues that arise in Machine Learning but also extend their expertise in Artificial Intelligence.
Dr M Siva Parvathi, in-charge Head of the Department of Statistics at SPMVV, presented an overview of the department's ongoing activities and initiatives. The event also saw the participation of Zonal Head of Union Bank of India Patri Srinivasa Kumar, former ISPS President Prof N Balakrishna, and Regional Head of UBI LSVR Sarma Somancy, among others.
