ISRO to promote science education

The Government of Kerala will team up with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to promote science education and research among students. ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan on Monday backed Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s proposal to use the euphoria created by the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) to ignite young minds and encourage students to take to science.

They were participating in a function organised by the State government to felicitate the scientists from various ISRO units who were involved in the mission. Responding to Mr. Chandy’s proposal, Mr. Radhakrishnan said ISRO would explore the possibility of a joint programme with the government to benefit students. He said Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director M.C. Dathan would discuss the proposal with the government and submit a report.

Earlier, Mr. Chandy said the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) had imparted confidence for the nation to take up bigger ventures. He hoped the mission would benefit all countrymen. In his reply, Mr. Radhakrishnan said MOM was a successful demonstration of the unity of effort. Outlining some of the applications of space technology in India, he said the imagery from the Insat 3D satellite had helped to provide early warning in the areas lashed by cyclone Hudhud recently. “Indian satellites are also used for tele-education and natural resource assessment,” he said.

Mr.Chandy handed over mementos to Mr.Radhakrishnan; M.C. Dathan, Director, VSSC; K. Sivan, Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC); A.S. Kirankumar, Director, Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad; S.K. Sivakumar, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore; M.Y.S. Prasad, Director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta; and scientists from various ISRO centres.

Ministers K.M. Mani, Aryadan Mohammed, K. Babu, Anoop Jacob, V.S. Sivakumar and A.P. Anilkumar and Additional Chief Secretary P.K. Mohanty were present.