'Creative Laboratory'
THE FRENCH INSTITUTE OF PONDICHERY

By Jackie Assayag

The French Institute of Pondichery (FIP) was created in 1955 under the
conditions of the Treaty of Cession of French Possessions in India. In
accordance with the wishes of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that
Pondichery should remain a window open to French culture, the objective of the
FIP is to maintain a French scientific centre with the collaboration of Indian
scholars. The permanent staff (Director: F. Houllier) includes highly trained
Indian and French scientists and learned Pandits. Other research scholars of
various nationalities spend brief periods at the Institute making a
contribution to the programmes and carrying out their own research, in which
they can avail themselves of the invaluable facilities provided by the
exceptionally rich library and other reference collections. Junior research
scholars, both Indian and French, regularly participate in specialized
training programmes or are engaged in preparing their doctoral theses.
In addition to the FIP programmes, we would also like to draw attention to
research carried out in conjunction with the Ecole Fran‡aise d'Extrˆme-Orient
(EFEO) Ä for example, a multidisciplinary project on the temple town of
Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu) Ä and scholars in Pondichery, as well as other
scientists connected with the Institute [see: IIASN 2, p. 9].
Administratively and financially the FIP is dependent on the French
Government, but has developed an intensive network of scientific co-operation
with prestigious institutions, departments and universities in India, as well
as  specialized laboratories in France: EFEO; ENGREF; CNRS; CEIAS; and in
other parts of the world. It also enjoys long standing collaborations with
various international organizations such as UNESCO and FAO. Today, the FIP has
a staff of about 63 permanent and 30 temporary members, both Indian and
French. The FIP has three departments covering Indology, Ecology, and Social
Sciences.

THE INDOLOGY DEPARTMENT
The Department, headed by F. Grimal, is multidisciplinary but concentrates on
sources in Indian languages. Chronologically, the oldest programme is a
detailed study Ä critical editions and translations Ä of the Saiva Agama
texts, both the canonical as well as those dealing with rituals. In the field
of literature proper, the Institute projects embrace Sanskrit and Tamil,
placing an emphasis on both the literary and technical aspects of the works.
Hence, literary scholars associated with the FIP are working in the field of
poetry and dramaturgy, studying the great Ramaic dramas, and conceiving new
tools for the exploration of this subject. Other projects include studies in
modern literature and folklore in Tamil, Kanada, and Marathi.
In the field of technical linguistic literature, the Institute has also made
some commendable contributions to the study of Sanskrit and Tamil grammar. One
of the most significant publications emerging from these endeavours is an
eleven-volume edition of commentaries on Patanjali's Mahabhasya. A related
project is a dictionary of Paninean examples and terminology.
Other important studies have been made in general linguistics and lexicography
(Tamil and Marathi). The Indology Department has a history project, with an
emphasis on epigraphy (Sanskrit and Tamil). The photographic archives have
nearly 150,000 prints of temple architecture and iconography. The Indology
library contains 59,000 volumes, 202 periodicals, and nearly 17,000 palmleaf
manuscripts. A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts preserved in the
collection of the Indology Department is being published.

THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY
The Department, headed by G. Bourgeon, concentrates on the study and
inventorization of natural resources, as well as on the ecology of vegetation
types. Working on the scale of India and of South Asia as a complete unit, FIP
researchers have established a large synthesis of bioclimates and the typology
and ecology of vegetation types. These broader studies have been followed by
detailed regional research focusing on the region of the South Indian hills
and the rainforests of the Western Ghats. Another of the Department's main
activities is vegetation mapping. Working in collaboration with the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research and the various State Forest Departments, FIP
ecologists have carried out an initial research programme as part of the
national scheme for mapping vegetation on the scale of 1 : 1,000,000. The more
densely forested regions of South India have also been mapped in greater
detail on the scale of 1 : 250,000.
Recently Institute research on vegetation types has veered towards the
dynamics of ecosystems. The aim of these studies is to produce a model of the
ecological functioning of dense forests, so as to facilitate their sustainable
management by the forest departments. Considerable importance is also attached
to soil studies. Research at the pedological laboratory centres on the
formation of forest humus, the typology of soils, and the detailed study of
certain soil types, particularly the red soils of the Mysore Plateau. The
results have been published in the form of a map of the various types of soils
in Western Karnataka.
The maps which the Institute has produced have been extremely useful,
especially when dealing with urgent problems concerning the protection of the
environment. One of the ongoing programmes is the determination of the
distribution of the native species found in the rainforests of the Western
Ghats, in order to identify these areas in need of protection and to prevent
the disappearance of rare species. The palynology laboratory has a collection
of reference slides and other items which constitutes an exceptional resource
base. Research in this area is oriented chiefly towards the reconstruction of
the evolution of the forest cover in India. Another important area of study
is aeropalynology, or the determination of the quality of pollen grains in the
air, and the compilation of a pollen calendar, which will help combat
allergies.
The herbarium has more than 30,000 specimens, representing 3800 species, and
is particularly rich in the plants of certain regions, for instance mangrove
swamps, evergreen forests, South Indian hills, and of certain botanical
species, like palms. The palynology section contains one of the richest
collections of tropical pollen grains, consisting of some 10,000 items. The
ecology library contains 13,040 volumes and has 130 current subscriptions.

THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
The Department, headed by J. Assayag, is only 6 years old, yet it has already
established itself in four principal areas of activity: research;
documentation; diffusion of knowledge; and training scholars. One research
programme is concentrated on the Kaveri Basin. It analyses its economic
development, both agricultural and industrial, as this region is often
affected by adverse climatic conditions. Another programme focuses on the
dynamics and rationale of rural migrations, the aim being not merely to find
out who has migrated, but also to study the overall dynamics of the rural
system to try to discover an alternative to permanent migration. A third
programme concerns the study of urban configurations and the commercial
network in the town of Tituchengodu, Tamil Nadu. A fourth programme, using
automatic mapping, consists of a geographical analysis of India focusing on
the most dynamic economic sectors. Yet another is the study of the historical
transformations of ecology and society in the Himalayas.
The departments of the Social Sciences and Ecology are both presently engaged
in an interdisciplinary study of the relationship between ecological changes
and human society in the Western Ghats. The objective is to ascertain how
Indian society has traditionally managed its relationships with the
environment and to uncover the historical processes which have led to the
current situation, so as to determine the social repercussions of ecological
changes.
The Social Sciences library also has more than 9,815 volumes, 170 journals,
and 70 subscriptions.

THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING
International network is especially well developed in India and France, but
is equally strong in the United States, Europe, and South-East Asia. The FIP
has helped foreign institutions acquire a more detailed knowledge of Indian
civilisation and of the tropical environment. One very important activity is
the training of research scholars. During their time at the Institute,
trainees learn new methodologies and are taught to look at issues from
different points of view. They are able to establish links with laboratories
and researchers in France, Europe, the Americas, and Asia. This interaction
between various countries makes the Institute an ideal arena for a free
exchange of ideas. The rich collection of valuable books, photographs, and
botanical specimens attracts renowned and established scholars, who come here
to work for varying lengths of time. By playing host to more than 150 visiting
scholars every year, the FIP continues and strengthens the tradition of
research and the dissemination of knowledge, forgoing stronger links in
Indo-French co-operation.

For more information:
Institut Fran‡ais de Pondichery
Dr Jackie Assayag
11. St Louis Street
P.B. 33; Pondichery 605 001
India
Tel: +91-413-341 70/341 68
Fax: +91-413-395 34