Dr. B B Jani
Mathematics can be regarded as the language of sciences. Statistics subject is essentially a very important and useful branch of Applied Mathematics. Statistics has immense applications in many fields as it is developed as a multidisciplinary subject. Day by day, these applications are increasing very rapidly by leaps and bounds.
Now it has become such a wise area of its applicability, so that one may call this subject as - प्रदीप्: सर्वविद्ययम् (enlightening all learnings)
Statistics department of Gujarat University was started by Prin. D G Vashi in the year 1955 at School of Social Sciences, Gujarat University under the able leadership as Director of the school, by eminent economist Prof. B R Shenoy.
Later on, this department was merged with Mathematics department at University School of Sciences under the able and notable leadership of Dr P C Vaidya, who headed both the departments. But virtually Dr C G Khatri was heading the department of Statistics.
Later on, Statistics department came into its existence as a separate entity under University School of Sciences at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad (India).
We all were extremely fortunate to have a legendary veteran personality like Dr C G Khatri as Professor and Head of Statistics department.
His academic calibre, research work with sound and profound knowledge of the subject had brought Statistics department and also Gujarat University on world map. In 1969, Prof C G Khatri established Gujarat Statistical Association (GSA). He was the founder president of GSA and started uniquely academic activities as very first President of GSA during the year 1969 – 1971. This academic body was evolved with a sacred objective of promoting statistical ideas in pure and applied statistics and research work in the subject.
The basic concept of establishing GSA was also to propagate learning and research activities among the students, teachers and research workers in the subject.
GSA was registered under public trust act of 1950 (Bombay) with its registration number E2505, Ahmedabad (1974) with its head office at the Department of Statistics, University School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Gujarat (India).
In 1972 prof G R Desai become the president of GSA with Dr B B Jani as the Secretary. There after many dignitaries like Dr N M Bhatt, Prin. D G Vashi, Shree V V Divetia, Shree Praful Anubhai, Shree P K Mukherjee, Dr S M Shah, Dr M C Jaiswal, Dr Indira Bhanot, Dr A G Pathak, Dr M Sreehari, Prin. N D Desai, Dr S S Sharma, Dr P C Gupta, Dr S C Merh, Dr S R Patel, Dr D N Shah, Dr A V Gajjar, Dr B B Jani, Dr N M Patel, Prin. A M Patel, Prof J C Shah, Dr R T Ratani, Dr R G Bhatt etc. have presided over GSA.
The operational part of GSA was to hold regular meetings of GSA at different local places and also hold conferences, seminars, workshops, symposium, paper reading, syllabi discussion, essay competition etc. regularly at different places of Gujarat state. These programmes were evolved by arranging lectures and discussion patterns from eminent persons in the subject. Many dignitaries and eminent scholars have given their deliberations in these programmes.
Since 1974, Dr C G Khatri has started an academic research journal named as Gujarat Statistical Review (GSR) and he became the founder and first editor of GSR with DR B B Jani as the first editorial secretary. This journal became extremely popular due to the scholastic capabilities of Dr Khatri, unbiased referencing works and high academic quality of the journal. Notable experts at National level and abroad have contributed to this journal. Such reputation of GSR was mainly due to the herculean efforts of Dr Khatri for academic research developments.
Later on, Prin D G Vashi suggested to started another journal of GSA in the field of Applied Statistics. This was under a joint decision with Dr Khatri. The journal was named as Sankhya Vignan (SV). Prin. D G Vashi became the first and founder editor of SV Journal with Dr B B Jani as the first editorial secretary of the journal. First issue of SV journal was published in 1980. This journal was conceptually meant for applications of Statistics in different fields. Both these journals -GSR and SV have increased the academic image of GSA at national level and also at abroad. SV journal was continued for about 20 years under the able leadership of different personalities as editors of the journal.
After sudden demise of Dr Khatri in 1989, Prof M Sreehari took charge of GSR as its editor with Dr A V Gajjar as editorial secretary. Later on, Dr R G Bhatt became editor of GSR. Last printed issue of GSR was in 2010 as Vol. 37.
Present Scenario
Sankhya Vignan journal was restarted as issue in 2005. It is still continued today as NSV 17 for the year 2021. From the year 2021, SV journal published 4 issues (being now a quarterly journal) in March, June, September and December. Now it is in digital form. SV journal has Dr B B Jani as Chief Editor with other reputed personalities in its editorial board. This journal now is published with its designated title in the form of Journal for Research and Reading in Applied Statistics. It has its website www.sankhyavignan.org.
GSR journal will now be published from the year 2022 under the new name as Gujarat Journal of Statistical and Data Sciences. It will be published with Dr D K Ghosh as its Editor-in-chief along with eminent team of reputed personalities in the editorial board.
After sudden demise of Dr C G Khatri, a new trust has come into existence (under the auspices of GSA) name as Prof C G Khatri Memorial Trust. The basic idea for this trust is to arrange for academic activities, lectures etc. regularly in the honour of late Prof C G Khatri.
Well, like almighty God, Statistics is omnipresent. GSA has a very promising future ahead for the days to come. The academic activities undertaken by GSA will certainly accelerate the growth for teaching and research work in Gujarat State as a whole and also elsewhere.
As the subject statistics has been very rapidly developing, we certainly expect tremendous growth and development of GSA in coming days.
We shall feel happy and proud also if this can be achieved by the means of our latest approach of this website for GSA.
Dr B B Jani
Chief Editor,
Sankhya Vignan Journal
(R) 079- 27476770 (M) +91 – 9824057902