'Space technology harnessed for communication, edn'

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said, besides contributing to the overall development of the nation, Isro has been educating the people, especially the youth and children for a better tomorrow.

He was delivering the Sardar Panikkar Memorial Lecture on ‘Development of Scientific Spirit Among Children, hosted by the Regional Institute of Education (RIE), under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), to mark its 55th Foundation Day, here on Tuesday.

He said, “Space technology is being harnessed for communicating effectively to make education universal. Every student has some interest to learn and has the ability to think and rethink. So, every individual needs an ideal platform to learn. A pro-active approach towards learning makes good students. Hence, they should be exposed to research and development.”

EDUSAT programme

Starting from the EDUSAT programme, a tele-education programme, launched in 2004, the Isro chief listed out the initiatives of his organisation in promoting education through its communication channels. “EDUSAT comprises 83 networks, connecting 5,000 interactive and 55,000 receive only terminals, covering 26 states and three Union Territories. Under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Department of State Educational Research and Training of Karnataka government has also set up terminals. Specialising into popularising Science in education, Isro has initiated various projects,” he said.

“The Indian Institute of Remote Sensing provides support to the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific to conduct remote sensing and geo-informatics training to students in post- graduate level. A joint venture of the Isro and NCERT trains higher secondary school teachers, such as in Kendriya Vidyalaya and Navodaya Vidyalaya, in remote sensing and GIS. A similar venture, school-bhuvan portal enables map-based learning for students. Isro has taken up capacity building at different levels in government departments and academia for effective use of geospatial technology and its applications,” Kiran Kumar said.

“Bhuvan Gurukul is a browser-based, multi-room video conference system for collaborative learning and discussion. Isro’s Satellite Meteorology and OceAnography Research and Training supports students, academics and researchers by archiving all information on a data portal. The Research Initiation Programme is designed to initiate research aptitude among students. Besides, Isro has been conducting various programmes to ignite young minds in Science,” he said.

Earlier, a pure drinking water unit was inaugurated on the institute premises. Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia, NCERT Director Hrushikesh Senapaty, and RIE principal Y Sreekanth were present.