SAC-ISRO, GUJCOST and Science City jointly organised India’s Biggest World Space Week Celebration on the theme “Space and Entrepreneurship”
More than 1,00,000 lakh students participated in this week-long outreach activities across the Gujarat State Activities like Space Quiz, interaction with space scientists, essay, drawing, slogan and puzzle competitions, space parade conducted for all seven days
Gandhinagar – The Gujarat Council on Science & Technology (GUJCOST) in collaboration with Space Applications Centre of Indian Space Research Organisation (SAC – ISRO) and Gujarat Science City proudly successfully organised “India’s Biggest World Space Week” from October 4th to October 10th, 2023. This event marked a spectacular celebration of space exploration, education, and outreach.
This year, World Space Week is cantered around the theme “Space and Entrepreneurship,” highlighting the ever-increasing significance of the commercial space industry and the myriad opportunities it presents for space entrepreneurship. The event aims to inspire, educate, and engage students, teachers, and the wider community in the wonders of space and the benefits of space technology.
Inaugurating this seven-day extravaganza at Gujarat Science City on October 4th, Shri Nilesh M Desai, Director of SAC-ISRO, shared his thoughts on the incredible journey of exploration, discovery, and innovation that has brought us closer to the stars. He also celebrated the successful landing of Chandrayaan 3 at the moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023, showcasing India’s achievements in space exploration.
Space technology plays a vital role in various sectors, including health, communication, education, agriculture, environmental monitoring, economic growth, artificial intelligence, banking, insurance, science, and technology, among others. Shri J B Vadar, Executive Director of Science City, highlighted how space science and technology have revolutionized communication, including internet and intranet services, and foreshadowed the future of space tourism.
Dr. Narottam Sahoo, Advisor and Member Secretary of GUJCOST, emphasized that World Space Week provides an opportunity for everyone to connect with the cosmos, fostering curiosity and fascination for the universe. He encouraged the belief that the sky is not the limit; it’s just the beginning, where determination, collaboration, and a passion for discovery can overcome any challenge.
GUJCOST, recognized as a “Space Tutor” of ISRO, is dedicated to conducting outreach activities on space research and technologies, reaching students, children, teachers, media members, and citizens across India. This year’s celebration involved a series of interactive sessions with space scientists, space quizzes, drawing and slogan writing competitions, night sky observations, space parades, and visits to SAC-ISRO campus, engaging and educating the public. In line with the theme, all competitions revolved around “Swachh Bharat, Swachh Space,” promoting the sustainable use of space technology.
The week-long celebration featured interactive and exciting space talks on Chandrayaan 3, space for navigation, education, agriculture, and humankind, as well as the success story of Chandrayaan-3 and the future mission Aditya L1.
Starting from the Director SAC-ISRO, Sjhri Nilesh M Desai, Smt Sonal N Shah, Ms Parul Ajmera Scientist, Ms Anita Pandey, Dr Rojalin Tripathy, Shri Ayan Das, Shri Satish Kumar Tripathi, Shri Rohit Nagori, Shri Deepak Kumar Singh, Shri Kush Arya, Smt Jalshri Harshit Desai, Smt Meghal Ashvin Desai conducted a series of interactive and exciting space talks at Patan, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Rajkot and Navodaya School at Gandhinagar.
A total of 1,00,000 students, teachers, and common citizens from all districts in Gujarat actively participated in the event, culminating in a spectacular viewing of the International Space Station passing through the Gujarat sky on October 6th.
The primary objective of the program was to promote space outreach and education, educating the public on the benefits derived from space technology and inspiring young people about the importance of space technologies. This initiative encourages scientific curiosity and fosters a holistic growth mindset among students.
The week-long program was efficiently coordinated by Shri Ravi Kumar Varma and Ms. Richa Srivastava, scientists at SAC-ISRO, Dr. Poonam Bhargava, Principal Scientific Officer at GUJCOST, and Dr. Vrajesh Parikh, General Manager, Science Popularization at Science City.