The International Centre for Theoretical Physics(ICTP), Trieste:
For nearly three decades the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics(ICTP) has served as a meeting place for scientists from around the world. Each year, roughly 4,000 scientists visit the ICTP to take advantage of the Centre's stimulating intellectual atmosphere and excellent research facilities. I am an Associate Member of the ICTP since 1992 and have made many visits to the ICTP. My first visit to ICTP was in 1991 and last time in 1999. It is a nice place to be in to meet leading scientists and for learning about the current developments in one's research field. The ICTP regularly conducts workshops and conferences in different branches of pure and applied physics.


Here is a picture of the institute located close to the Miramare bay. The location is very pictureque with the Miramare castle on one side and the elegant city of Treiste (6km away) on the other side.


A view of the castle of Miramare, a residence commissioned by Archduke Maximillian, brother of Habsburg emperor Franz Josef, was designed on eclectic lines by Carl Junker. Each romm has striking interiors in rich tapestries and wood covered ceilings and interiors in typical 19th century fashion. Maximilian was the ill-fated brother of Emperor Franz Joseph of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; his brother tricked him into renouncing his claim on the Austrian throne and going over to become Emperor of Mexico. Within a few years, the Mexicans rose up against him and shot him. His castle is absolutely beautiful. A large number of tourists come to Trieste to visit his castle.


The ambience of the ICTP is reflected in its surroundings. Maximilian's castle park is enormous! A walk through the Miramare Castle park by itself is refreshing and thought provoking. Designed by Maximillian, it contains a range of European plants, Californian sequioas and cypresses and cedars from Lebanon.


The Adriatico Guest House facing the Adriatic sea is where most of the ICTP visitors stay. The cool breeze from the sea with the view of the setting sun from the AGH balcony is a great sight.


Venice is just 2 hours from Trieste and is a tourist centre. The major attraction is the St. Marks's square and the boat ride through the canals. It is also famous for the Murano glasses and it is really interesting to see how glass is blown to different shapes in various colours in such factories.

Insitute of Quantum Electronics(IEQ), Firenze, Italy:
I was a Marie Curie fellow of the Commission of European Communities in 1994 at the IEQ of the Consiglio Nazionalle delle Ricerche(CNR) where I had the opportunity to work with Laser Physicst Dr. Piero Mazzinghi in the area of plants stress detection using laser-induced blue-green fluorescence. We developed a new curve fitting procedure for the analysis of fluorescence signals from plants.

Firenze is one of the medival cities in Italy and famous for its art and museums. Machaelangelo's David is a masterpiece in itself. The picture shows my wife Usha admiring the creation.


Uffizzi gallery is where you find the very famous painting of the painters of the renaissance period, like Bottecelli, Michaelangelo, etc. This is a view of the street leading to Uffizzi with the gallery on either side of it.