Odisha CM felicitates winners of Young Astronomer Talent Search programme

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday felicitated top 20 winners of the 11th Edition of Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) Programme-2017-18, in a grand function held at Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar.

The winners will also get a special opportunity to go on an exposure visit to one of the premier facilities of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Present on the occasion were Badri Narayan Patra, Science and Technology Minister, Nikunja Bihari Dhal, Science & Technology secretary, T V Narendran, CEO & Managing Director, Tata Steel, Arun Misra, Vice President, Project Gopalpur- Tata Steel and Managing Director, Tata Steel SEZ, Chanakya Chaudhary, Group Director, Corporate Communication & Regulatory Affairs, Tata Steel.

Patnaik felicitated a young achiever from Odisha, Dr Susmita Mohanty, Co-Founder & CEO, Earth2Orbit and a spaceship designer and serial space entrepreneur.

While appreciating the efforts of Tata Steel and Pathani Samanta Planetarium for organizing such a unique event, Patnaik expressed hope that YATS continues to become an important platform for students to identify, nurture and develop their talent along with creating a community of scholars in the State of Odisha who contributes to its development.

Badri Narayan Patra said, “We look forward to more youth from our State take on different roles in leadership; towards this, it merits that they be given proper exposure in different fields including science, sports and allied streams of education and YATS could be the launchpad for emerging space scientists from Odisha.”

Congratulating participants and winners of the 11th edition of Young Astronomer Talent Search, T V Narendran said, “We have multiple programmes to engage with students of Schools and Colleges in Odisha which give them platforms to express their thoughts, ideas and benefit from knowledge sharing.”

After a four-month-long exercise to find 20 best young talents in the state, YATS concluded today. The 11th Edition witnessed participation of more than 32000 students from 300 schools, spread over 30 districts of Odisha.

The theme for this year’s competition was ‘Celebrating achievements of India in space science’ which included topical writing and quiz competitions on various aspects of India’s space programme.

YATS is being organised by Tata Steel in association with Pathani Samanta Planetarium since 2007 to acknowledge the exemplary contribution of Pathani Samanta, legendary astronomer of Odisha, and encourage youngsters to display their talents in scientific innovation and concepts on various themes of space science and astronomy.

On this occasion, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) organized an informative two-day exhibition, at the premises of Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar.

The exhibition will remain open from 10 am to 5 pm on 13th & 14th December 2017. Regional Science Centre, Bhubaneswar also set up an exhibition on the occasion.