Indian Statistical Institute

Indian Statistical Institute
	Logo of the Indian Statistical Institute
Motto	भिन्नेष्वैक्यस्य दर्शनम् (Unity in diversity)
Type	Public
Established	17 December, 1931
Director	Sankar K. Pal
Academic staff	196
Location	Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Campus	urban
Website	http://www.isical.ac.in

Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), is a unique institution devoted to the research, teaching and application of statistics, natural sciences and social sciences. Founded by Professor P.C. Mahalanobis [1] in Kolkata on 17 December, 1931, the institute gained the status of an Institution of National Importance by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1959.

The Headquarters of ISI is located in the northern fringe of the metropolis of Kolkata, in Baranagar. Specifically, it is located in Bon-Hoogly not far from the Dunlop Bridge. Additionally, there are two Centres located in Delhi and Bangalore. Research in Statistics and related disciplines is the primary activity of the Institute. Teaching activities are undertaken mainly in Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore. Offices of the Institute located in several other cities in India are primarily engaged in projects and consultancy in Statistical Quality Control and Operations Research.

Objective

The major objectives of the Indian Statistical Institute, as stated in its Memorandum of Association, are:

To promote the study and dissemination of knowledge of Statistics, to develop statistical theory and methods, and their use in research and practical applications generally, with special reference to problems of planning of national development and social welfare;

To undertake research in various fields of natural and social sciences, with a view to the mutual development of Statistics and these sciences;

To provide for, and undertake, the collection of information, investigation, projects and operational research for purposes of planning and the improvement of efficiency of management and production.

Motto

Unity in Diversity is the motto of the Institute. The diversity within the Institute is evident. The unity has been the unity of purpose - furthering of statistics. The Indian Statistical Institute has not only succeeded in aiding the birth of statistics, but has also succeeded in nurturing the baby well.

History

ISI began in a small room in the Presidency College in 1931. It moved the Baranagar location later in a property owned by Professor Mahalanobis called "Amrapali", a name given by the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It encompasses six different addresses: 201 to 206 Barrackpore Trunk Road. One of these properties, which used to house the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) was known as the Studio. In the 1920s and 1930s, it was indeed a movie studio. A number of famous silent movies were filmed there.

It now comprises buildings on several acres of land in three major cities (Kolkata, New Delhi, and Bangalore)! What began with a total annual expenditure of less than Rs. 250 in 1931, now has a total annual expenditure of over Rs. 15,000,000. What began in 1931 with a solitary human "computer" working part-time, now comprises over 250 faculty members and over 1,000 supporting staff and several modern-day personal computers, workstations, minicomputers, supermini computers and mainframe computers! Impressive as these figures are, they convey little idea of the road traversed, the range of activities undertaken and the intimate relationship of the Institute with the life of the nation.

The Present Director is Prof. Sankar Kumar Pal [2].