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MOU signed to promote research collaboration with India

February 2, 2012

On January 23, an Indian delegation comprising five high-level officials visited KEK to participate in a DAE-KEK joint meeting. A memorandum of understanding was signed at the meeting between the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and KEK to express the intention of the parties to establish collaborative activities, and to focus on developments in the field of particle physics through KEK’s Belle II experiment, detector research and development projects, synchrotron science, and accelerator science.

The Indian delegation was composed of Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the DAE, Dr. Parshotam Dass Gupta, director of the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Dr. Milan K. Sanyal, director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP), Dr. B. Purniah, head of the International Studies Division, DAE, and Dr. C. Sivaji, Counsellor (Science & Technology) of the Embassy of India, Tokyo.

The year 2012 marks the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. The MOU has been signed in this auspicious year.

Participants of the meeting agreed to hold annual meetings, and to discuss the details at the collaboration meeting involving Indian institutes and KEK to be held on February 8 and 9 at the SINP, Kolkata, India.

After the joint meeting, the Indian delegation visited KEK’s facilities, including the Belle experiment facility, Indian beamline (BL-18B) at the Photon Factory, and the Indian beamline office.