1991-92 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

1991-92MuseumThe Museum of the Institute was actively engaged in executing multifariousactivities particularly relevant to the Professor Birbal Sahni Birth CentenaryCelebrations. The gallery of the institute was adorned with several mounted photographsof Professor Birbal Sahni and his family members. The photographs alsocover important events of Professor Sahni's life as well as those of the institute.Personal belongings of Professor Sahni, like his music book, address book, loanregister and hand-written biography were suitably displayed in the museum. TheSahni Centenary logo was prominently displayed on the multistorey building of theinstitute.Three paintings depicting the Earliest Biosphere and Deccan IntertrappeanVegetational Scenarios were added to the Museum. Another attractive additionwas of a model of the geological clock (Kal Chakra). Black and white photographsof the palynofloral assemblages were replaced by the co loured ones. The legendswere updated and changed. Inventory (part I) of the "lYpe and Figured specimens/slides(megafossils) was also published.The museum collaborated in organising an exhibition on 'The Past oC theGreen World' with National Council of Science Museum at the Regional ScienceCentre, Lucknow. Various aspects of palaeobotany, arranged thematically, wereprojected through specimens, slides, photographs, paintings, transparencies andvegetational scenarios. Important events of the institute, its frame work of investigationsand work culture were shown with the help of audio-visual system. Theroom of Professor Birbal Sahni was recreated mostly with his personal belongings.So far, exhibition has been visited by about 95,000 persons including representationfrom 140 institutions. Besides, an archive has been established to preserveimportant documents, photographs, films, audio and video-tapes, etc.Exhibitions were also organized at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology,Dehradun, coinciding with the symposium on the Siwalik Basin dedicated toProfessor Sahni's memory, and at the Indian Science Congress, Baroda. Someexhibits were sent to the Department of Geology, Jammu University, Jammu alongwith a set of publications released during the Sahni Centenary Celebrations.Several photographs/specimens were gifted to other institutions who had plannedexhibitions on the life and work of Professor Birbal Sahnl. On the same theme, amobile exhibition has been designed. Several fossil specimens mounted on woodenpedestals or embedded in transparent plastic resin were presented as gifts to theguests/delegates during the Sahni celebrations.The National Science Day was celebrated on February 28, 1991. This day wasobserved as an open house.Delegates from the country and overseas, viz., citizens from Argentina, Australia,Hungary, Holland, Madagascar, China, Japan, Poland, Germany, Italy,France, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K. and U.S.A. visited the Museum.111