Prof. Harish Chandra Verma is retired from Department of Physics at Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur as a Professor. Prior to joining IIT Kanpur, he served Science College, Patna University (1979-1994) as Lecturer and Reader. His research interests had been in Nano fabrication using focused ion beam, Magnetism in Graphite on irradiation by ion beam, Nanosize (4 nm-20 nm) magnetic materials, Fe-based alloys, Earth Science etc. He has published 139 research papers in reputed journals. He has also written several books in Physics for School and College level. He has developed more than 600 physics experiments which can be used by teachers as DEMOs in their classrooms. He has also produced a set of 45 video lectures in Hindi at school level. Prof. Verma is Executive Committee member of Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) which works for physics education in schools and colleges.

Teachning

During his stay at IIT Kanpur, prof. Verma has taught a number of professional and core courses. These include theory as well as laboratory courses. The reaction surveys show that the courses were very effective and students were greatly benefited. Almost every year, he was adjudged outstanding instructor/tutor as announced in the senate of IIT Kanpur and was given appreciation letter from the Director.
The UG/professional courses include Nuclear Physics, Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Electrodynamics, Review courses for PhD Students etc.

Social and Educational Activities

Shiksha Sopan

Prof. Verma had been associated with social causes from the childhood. He has been instrumental is making a group of IIT Kanpur faculty members and students together with local youths to run an NGO called Shiksha Sopan. Through various centers in the villages around IITK Shiksha Sopan is in direct daily contact with about 250 families. Under the leadership of Prof. Verma, at these centers Indian values and culture are inculcated together with giving them educational help.

Apart from the centers, Shiksha Sopan runs various Scholarship programs which helps the poorest of poor to continue education. There were several cases where the family was about to stop the education of a girl child but because of our scholarship the girl could continue education.

Through our Pratibha Poshan Yojana, we reach out thousands of children from far away villages, identify the best talent hidden in the interiors and give them residential summer camps at IITK.

IAPT Anveshika

Prof. Verma is Executive Committee member of Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) which works for physics education in schools and colleges. In 2011 Prof. Verma initiated a new project National Anveshika Network of India (NANI) which has become a flagship programme of IAPT. In 6 years, this chain of Science laboratories for innovative work by students and teachers, Anveshika, are established in 22 cities of India spread over in wide territory. About 1000 schools/colleges are getting benefited from this project. A number of activities for teachers’ motivation and training, developing teaching aids, etc are going on through these centers.
A unique program of Anveshika project is National Anveshika Experimental Skill Test (NAEST). This is a unique annual event to encourage the culture of doing science experiment where a National level competition is organized for school as well as college level on actually performing the experiments. Through the Anveshika network, more than 8000 students from more the 1600 Schools/Colleges appear in the test every year across the country. All the experiments put up in these are designed specifically for this event by Prof. Verma with his science team.

Utsahi Physics Teachers and DEMO experiments

Prof. Verma has developed more than 600 physics experiments which can be used by teachers as DEMO in their classrooms. Besides this, informal open-ended experimental activities have been developed where students are initiated in a direction and they conceive, assemble and perform experiments on their own. He conducts workshops of Physics school teachers where he impresses upon using DEMO-based physics teaching in which students can connect science with life. Through these extensive series of workshops Prof. Verma has motivated large number of Physics teachers and they have transformed a great deal the way physics is taught in schools. So far, Prof. Verma might have given training to more than 8000 teachers. According to the feedbacks received, about 800 of them have changed their approach and now they are enjoying Physics much more. From these, he has made an informal group called Utsahi Physics Teachers. Every year in summers, Prof. Verma conduct a 6-day workshop of about 50 utsahi physics teachers of which about 35 are new additions. This activity is financially supported by National Academy of Sciences India(NASI).

A group of about 20 Senior Resource Persons has emerged from Prof. Verma’s 6-day workshops.
These teachers are actively propagating new physics teaching methodologies in their regions by conducting teachers’ meetings/seminars/workshops. Together, we reach more than 8000 teachers every year.

Talks on Sciences in Ancient India

Prof. Verma has deep interest in the glorious traditions of science in Ancient India. He has researched through the literature available in various journals and gives talks on this topic. His talks on Mathematics before ZERO, Computation sciences in Ancient India [ for video click here ] , Surgery: A 9000 years olds tradition in India [ for video click here ] etc have been widely appreciated by the audiences.