Page 36 - INAE Yearbook 2020

HISTORY OF THE ACADEMY

The Indian National Academy o f Engineering (INAE) was
formally inaugurated on 11th April 1988 at New Delhi by the then Prime
Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi at a colourful Foundation Function in New
Delhi.

Prof. CS Jha, Educational Adviser (Tech), Department of
Education remarked in a meeting in August 1983 that in the absence o f a
single body representing all engineering professions, the Government of
India finds it difficult to consult Professional Institutions and have the
benefit of their advice. This led to the concept of establishing a National
Academy of Engineering in a note dated 5tVi October 1983 from Prof. SN
Mitra, Past President, the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication
Engineers, (IETE) to the IETE Council.

Prof. CS Jha convened a meeting on 17th May 1984 of all the
recognised Professional Bodies for discussing various problems on technical
issues confronting the Ministry. He said that there was an urgent need for a
coordinating body at the highest level whom the Government can consult
on all matters pertaining to engineering and supported the creation of a
National Academy of Engineering as suggested by Prof. Mitra who had
earlier submitted a working paper to the Ministry o f Education.

In a similar vein, Prof. Mitra wrote to The Institution o f Engineers
(India), (IE(I)) on 14th June 1984 as follows :

"As the very name signifies, it will be a body o f intellectuals o f
excellence in their respective profession. It may not be out o fplace
to mention that the first Academy was a pleasure garden in Athens
which is supposed to have belonged to an ancient attic hero named
Academus. The garden was walled by Hipparchus, and eventually
bequeathed as a public pleasure ground by Cimon to his Fellow
citizens in Athens. In this garden, the Greek philosopher Plato
taughtfo r nearly 50 years and the Academy thus started and lasted
from the days o fPlato to those o f Cicerofo r over 300 years.

We see thus that the original Academy, datedfrom about 400 B.C.,
was a garden utilised fo r philosophic teachings and discussions. It
was essentially a place where any branch o f knowledge could be
discussed and was completely different from our specialised
societies o f today. In this original Academy, the philosophers must
have discussed arts, and letters, mathematics and science as well as

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