A Dream Parking Lot

The course 'Basic Principles of Economics' that I am studying this semester has been an eye-opener for more reasons than one. It comes at a very apt time when the whole of the finance sector is doomed and the principles that I am taught in the class make a little more sense now. Secondly, it is a course that has changed the way I look at society/money/trade etc - giving me a more mature insight into market behaviour.

But that is not the point here. In one of the classes, I remember the Prof. sharing an interesting story. He was talking about an University abroad (not too sure if it was Univ of Chicago or California), where they had huge car-parking space for the faculty and a separated, bigger parking lot for the students of the institute.

Here comes the biggie; he went on to say that there is a parking provision for about 7-8 other cars that is reserved. And it reads 'Reserved for Nobel Laureates'. I was amazed at the whole idea - an institute that could boast of patronage from so many Nobel laureates that they have a special parking lot for them!! Woah!


[I googled for it but could not find much info - just got the above pic from Picasa]


I wonder when can an institute in India do something of that sort?

I quote Wiki:

Eight Indian citizens or people of Indian origin have been honoured to date, but legally only 2 of Indian citizenship, and only three of Indian origin. (C.V. Raman - Nobel Prize; Amartya Sen - Nobel Memorial Prize)

Given such a dismal performance over the past 107 years that the concept of Nobel prizes have existed, India needs to buck-up and invest a mammoth amount in R&D. When will the IITs, IIScs, IIMs have such a parking lot?

When will IIT Madras have such a parking lot?

PS: USA has more than 300 Nobel's till date.

Update: Apologies for a bad blog post. There are factual inconsistencies in my post. Here is the update - The story was apparently shared by our Marketing Prof. and not the Economics Prof. (so tells my wingmate Pondy). Secondly, he also apparently said it was Stan (as suggested by Sayan in his comment) and not Chicago or California.

Thirdly, thanks to Caesar's comment - I relearnt basic English grammar. The correct usage is 'a University' and not 'an University' as I initially wrote.