School of Fundamental Research (SFR)

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Initiated in early sixties (1964) and registered on 5th May, 1971 as School of Fundamental Research, the organisation represents a school of non-formal scientific thinking to promote science to the grass-root level. The objectives of the School of Fundamental Research have been to provide an interactive forum for generating logical faculties, analytical temper and critical awareness for basic scientific truths, particularly amongst the younger persons of the society. The School is involved since beginning, with actions of propagating scientific and environmental awareness for better understanding and interpretation of the natural phenomena of living and non-living world through the interactive forum of young students of science.

Since 1980, SFR initiated field action programmes to promote environmental awareness through organising eco-development activities with common villagers and tribals in the backward hilly/sub-hilly regions of Ayodhya hills of Purulia district in West Bengal. SFR has consciously chosen the people and habitat of degraded environmental situations as its principal target area of operation to demonstrate the benefits of ecological development programmes to the local population. Large areas of common lands and degraded forest lands were restored to their original character by organising local Forest Protection Committees made up of people of the adjoining villages. A general atmosphere of environmental awareness has been generated by regular campaigns, mass contacts by various methods including training camps, a wide range of surveys and Folk-art based awareness campaigns.

The School till date completed 89 projects under sponsorship of several scientific ministries of Government of India. The School has been acting as the Regional Resource Agency (RRA) of Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. The School has undertaken some significant research and development projects in the wastelands reclamation and on watershed management including developing GIS model for interactive information system for decision support system for micro-level planning and also on land use and hydrological investigations. The School is the national coordinator of Arsenic mitigation programme in West Bengal, India. SFR is the recipient of inaugural Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award (highest environmental award by Government of India) in 1986 from Government of India.

Convenor Director, Biplab B. Basu was honoured by the United Nations Environment Programme with Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1991 at Stockholm, Sweden.

For other network participants we can offer overnight facilities of stay and exposure to forestry conservation and watershed management practices. Further we can offer expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, deliver a lecture on environment and social justice. Other supporting possibilities are given in the field of hydrological studies, morphology and land use planning, including policy researches on environmental issues including wildlife and tribal/ethnic community issues.