Chairman of the Physics department and organiser of the workshop, Prof I.M. Govil, emphasised the importance of PIXE technique for nondestructive trace element analysis in archaeological, geological, industrial and environmental samples. N.S. Tiwana, executive director of Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Chandigarh, inaugurated the workshop. While addressing the gathering, Tiwana said that in the changing scenario of globalisation, it is imperative to apply fundamental research for the benefit of the society.