Bhubaneswar, (SPB): Several hundred school and college students are expected to attend the 4-day Vikram Sarabhai Birth Centenary celebration program which is being held at the SOA Deemed to be University here from November 17 next.

The program is being organised jointly by the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh and SOA Deemed to be University.

Dr. Vikram A. Sarabhai, considered the Father of the Indian space program, established the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is considered as one of his greatest contributions. The Vikram Sarabhai Centenary Celebration is  being organised at 100 places in the country to commemorate the late scientist’s contribution towards the Indian space program.

The celebration, aimed at inspiring young students towards space technology, will comprise space exhibition and various competitions among students studying in Class six up to those in colleges.

The program will include elocution and debates, essay writing, drawing and painting, instant and written quiz and innovative design competition. The topic for elocution and debates for engineering and diploma students will be ‘Space Explorations can Make India Developed’ while the topic for students of Class eight to ten will be ‘Space Connects the World’.

The subject of elocution and debate for students of Plus two and degree level will be ‘Should India have its Own Space Station?’ Students of Class six and seven will debate on the topic ‘Benefit of Space Science.’

The written quiz will be for students of Class eight to ten and those at Plus Two level while the instant quiz will be for degree level students.

Students from engineering colleges and polytechnics will be provided the opportunity to showcase their talent, ability to innovate and show creativity and explain how their ideas could benefit mankind, solve present and future challenges being faced by the country and the world with specific reference to space and its environment, human space missions, rocketry, satellites, interplanetary missions and earth related missions. The models could be hardware or software simulations or a combination of both.

A science fair will be organised on November 17 and 18 for school students and those at Plus Two level wherein participants would be required to present space and science related exhibit material and models for assembly and demonstration with a maximum of two models allowed per school. The models could be related to new ideas of solving current problems like plastic recycling, water conservation, waste recycling, energy conservation and advanced way of cultivation.

The inauguration on November 17 would be graced by Prof. Debi Prosad Duari, Director and Head (Academics and Research), M.P.Birla Plantarium, Kolkata and Mr. A.Rajarajan, Director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, ISRO, Sriharikota.