Children's Science Congress

National Children's Science Congress (NCSC) provides the children of 10 to 17 years from all over the country an unique opportunity to use their scientific temperament and knowledge to make their own dreams come true. The program was initiated in 1993, with the following objectives

• To provide a forum to the young scientists to pursue their natural curiosity and to quench their thirst for creativity by experimenting on open-ended problems;
• To make you feel that science is all around and you can gain knowledge as well as solve many problems also be relating the learning process to the physical and social environment of the neighbourhood;
• To encourage children throughout the country to visualise future of the nation and help building generation of sensitive, responsible citizens;
• To stimulate scientific temperament and learning the scientific methodology for observation, collection of data, experiment analysis arriving at conclusions and presenting the findings.

NCSC is held annually from December 27-31. After a thorough scrutiny at district and state levels, about 500 children take part in this five day long deliberations and fun-filled science activities

Major Viplav Tripathi with the junior scientists

मेजर विप्लव पहुँचे चिल्ड्रन्स साइन्स क्लब
सेना को लेकर लोगों में सकारात्मक सोच आवश्यक : मेजर विप्लव

रायगढ़ । सेना को लेकर लोगों में बनी सोच को सकारात्मक बनाना बहुत जरूरी है जिससे सैनिकों का मनोबल बना रहे। शहर में आज भी कई लोग सियाचिन जो कि हिमालय का एक ग्लेसियर है उसे मेट्रो शहर समझते हैं। सेना उसके कार्यक्षेत्र और उसके काम करने के तरीकों के बारे में लोगों तक सही बातें पहुंचना जरूरी हैं। इससे कठिन परिस्थितियों में भी देश की रक्षा की कमान संभाल रहे सैनिकों को मानसिक रूप से संबल मिलेगा। यह विचार व्यक्त किये मेजर विप्लव त्रिपाठी ने जब वह चिल्ड्रन्स साइंस क्लब के बच्चों से रूबरू हो रहे थे। बच्चों में वैज्ञानिक जागरूकता बढ़ाने को समर्पित चिल्ड्रन्स साइन्स क्लब के बच्चों को जब पता चला कि भारतीय सेना में मेजर के पद पर पदस्थ शहर के ही विप्लव त्रिपाठी अपने घर आये हुए हैं तब उन्होंने उनसे मिलने के लिए रविवार को एक बैठक आयोजित की। अपने बीच सेना के मेजर को पाकर बच्चे बहुत ही उत्साहित थे। उन्होंने उनसे सेना को लेकर कई सवाल पूछे जैसे कि संयुक्त राष्ट्र शांति सेना क्या होती है। जम्मू कश्मीर में आतंकवाद क्यों है, और सेना उनसे निपटने के लिए किस तरह कार्यवाही करती है। बच्चों के सवालों के जवाब देने के बाद मेजर विप्लव ने उन्हें सेना के बारे में जानकारी देते हुए बताया कि भारतीय सेना में किस तरह अधिकारियों की भर्ती होती है और सेना किस तरह देश की सीमाओं पर सुरक्षा के लिए डटी रहती है। उन्होंने सैनिक स्कूलों में बच्चों को किस तरह से भविष्य की चुनौतियों के लिए तैयार कराया जाता है उसकी भी जानकारी दी। बच्चों से अनौपचारिक माहौल में मिले विप्लव त्रिपाठी ने अपने स्कूली दिनों को याद करते हुए बच्चों को बताया कि वह भी कभी कार्मेल कान्वेंट में पांचवी कक्षा तक पढ़े थे। उसके बाद उनका चयन रींवा सैनिक स्कूल के लिए हो गया था। उन्होंने अपने एनडीए खडग़वासला के किस्से भी बच्चों को सुनाए। उन्होंने कहा कि हर किसी को सेना में आकर देश सेवा का मौका नहीं मिलता। देश के लिए कुछ कर गुजरने की तमन्ना हो तो एक बार सेना में जाने का प्रयास अवश्य करना चाहिए। सेना में चयन न होने पर वैकल्पिक कैरियर के लिए भी उन्हें तैयार रहना चाहिए। उन्होंने क्लब की बालिका सदस्यों के भारतीय सेना में महिला इंफैंट्री के बारे में पूछे जाने पर बताया कि दुनिया में सिर्फ इजरायल के पास ही महिला इंफैंट्री है। भारतीय सेना में तकनीकी अधिकारी के पदों पर महिला अधिकारियों की नियुक्ति की जाती है। इस बैठक में क्लब के अभिषेक, अनिमेष, सोमेश, बिपुल, मनु, रूचि, निधि और उर्वशी उपस्थित थे। क्लब के समन्वयक नीलाम्बर मिश्रा ने जानकारी देते हुए बताया कि मेजर विप्लव के साथ हुई इस मुलाकात से बच्चों को बहुत कुछ सिखने को मिला और क्लब के बाल वैज्ञानिकों ने उन्हें भरोसा दिलाया कि वे वैज्ञानिक बनकर एपीजे अब्दुल कलाम की तरह देश सेवा के लिए अवश्य प्रयास करेंगे। आगे जानकारी देते हुए उन्होंने बताया कि आने वाले दिनों क्लब नये सदस्यों को जोडऩे के लिए अभियान शुरू करने वाली है। जिसके लिए पहले चरण में शहर के चुनिंदा स्कूलों में बाल वैज्ञानिक टैलेंट हंट आयोजित करने की योजना है। जल्द ही इस बारे में प्रक्रिया शुरू कर दी जाएगी।

Stamp on Sir Vikram Sarabhai

Born: August 12, 1919
Died: December 31,1971
Achievements: Considered the Father of the Indian space program; instrumental in establishing the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad in November 1947; was Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. He along with other Ahmedabad-based industrialists played a major role in the creation of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Vikram Sarabhai was one of the greatest scientists of India. He is considered as the Father of the Indian space program. Apart from being a scientist, he was a rare combination of an innovator, industrialist and visionary.

Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919 at Ahmedabad in an affluent family of progressive industrialists. He was one of eight children of Ambalal and Sarla Devi. He had his early education in a private school, “Retreat” run by his parents on Montessori lines. Some of the great men of India such as Gurudev Rabindranath, J. Krishna Murthi, Motilal Nehru, V. S. Shrinivasa Shastri, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Maulana Azad, C. F. Andrews, C. V. Raman et al. used to stay with the Sarabhai family when they visited Ahmedabad. Mahatma Gandhi also once stayed at their house while recovering from an illness. Visits by such great men greatly influenced Vikram Sarabhai.

After his matriculation, Vikram Sarabhai proceeded to Cambridge for his college education and took the tripods degree from St. John's college in 1940. When World War II began, he returned home and joined as a research scholar under Sir C. V. Raman at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore His interest in solar physics and cosmic ray led him to set up many observation stations around the country. He built the necessary equipment with which he took measurements at Bangalore, Poona and the Himalayas. He returned to Cambridge in 1945 and completed his Ph.D in 1947.

Vikram Sarabhai was instrumental in establishing the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad in November 1947. The laboratory was established in a few rooms in M.G. Science Institute of the Ahmedabad Education Society, which was founded by his parents. Subsequently, it got support from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Atomic Energy.

Vikram Sarabhai did research on the time variations of cosmic rays and concluded that meteorological effects could not entirely affect the observed daily variations of cosmic rays; further, the residual variations were wide and global and these were related to variations in solar activity. Vikram Sarabhai visualized a new field of research opening up in solar and interplanetary Physics.

The year 1957-1958 was designated as International Geo-physical year (IGY). The Indian program for the IGY had been one of the most significant ventures of Sarabhai. It exposed him to the new vistas of space science with the launching in 1957 of Sputnik-I. Subsequently, the Indian National Committee for Space Research was created, of which Vikram Sarabhai became Chairman.

With active support from Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, set up the first Rocket Launching station (TERLS) in the country at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram on the Arabian Coast, as Thumba is very close to the Equator. The first rocket with sodium vapour payload was launched on November 21, 1963. In 1965, the UN General Assembly gave recognition to TERLS as an international facility.

After the sudden death of Homi Bhabha in an air crash, Vikram Sarabhai was appointed Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission in May 1966. He wanted the practical application of science to reach the common man. He decided to acquire competence in advance technology for the solution of country’s problems based on technical and economic evaluation of its real resources. He initiated India’s space programme, which today is renowned all over the world.

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was awarded with Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Medal in 1962 and Padma Bhushan in 1966. Vikram Sarabhai passed away in his sleep on December 31,1971

Homi Janhagir Bhabha with Eienstine

Dr. H. J. Bhabha
Date of Birth	:	Oct 30, 1909
Date of Death	:	1966
Place of Birth	:	Mumbai

The eminent scientist who ushered India into the atomic age was Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha. He was born on 30 October 1909 in a Parsi family of Mumbai. He is called the 'Father of Indian Nuclear Science'. Dr.Bhabha was appointed the first chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, set up in 1948. It was largely due to his efforts that the nation's first Atomic research Center, now named Bhabha Atomic research Center, was established at Trombay, near Mumbai. Under his expert guidance the nation's first atomic reactor 'Apsara' was also commissioned in 1956. In 1945, he founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai. Dr.Bhabha had a highly distinguished career and was an exceptionally bright student. Even as a student, he made some fundamental discoveries in electricity, magnetism, quantum theory and the cosmic rays. Dr.Bhabha as the scientist of a very high caliber, received many national and international awards and honours. In 1942, he was awarded the 'Adams' award. In 1951, Bhabha was elected the president of the Indian Science Congress. In 1955, he was elected the chairman of the U.N. sponsored International conference on the peaceful uses of the atomic energy held in Geneva. The Government of India also honoured him with 'Padma Bhushan' in 1954. The 'Homi Jehangir Bhabha Award' has been instituted by Indian National Science Academy. He passed away in 1966 in a plane crash.

Study of a bio-diversity unit by our junior scientist

A small spider inside water and lives with moss and lichen.

First release of memorable moments of the Gomarda eco-tour

Photographs by Ruchi Agrawal

First thoughts after Gomarda Eco-tour

“A life lost in nature is a life living in heaven”
I just found this written in red colour on the top of a note pad lost by someone in our Gomarda sanctuary eco tour. The visionary D.F.O. Mr. Ashutosh Mishra planned this tour. Around 33 students of various schools were included in the team. Our club is the only fortunate one that is an out of school club. This is proud moment for us. We thank the D.F.O. for including us.
Our CSC: AGIM was included in last moment. It is first time in last 7 years that our club got the recognition it required. After the successful celebration of our Scientist’s Day, it is second great event in a row in one month. Our club members Ruchi, Manu, Akshta, Urvashi, Nidhi, Nikita and Devika were represented the club in tour. There was a limit for participants by the authorities so only these have the chance. It was a great learning experience for them. How animals and forest are interdependent and useful for human life explained in detail. How to recognize from a footprint that it is leopard or line, male or female shown to them.
Study the small biodiversity samples and observe them closely. How forest department helps in conserving nature and the challenges before them.
We tried our best to look for some of the wild animals but unfortunately, we found one or two. The important and ferocious were disappeared from the jungle. I cannot say whether they vanished permanently or they just hid themselves deep inside the jungle from us.
The most disappointing time was night of 31 October, When someone played the nonsense film music in loud. Moreover, the generator produces the harsh sound destroying peace of the valley.
The Big Question “Why we were there?” to observe the nature closely or to disturb the serenity of it from the core.
IS it not better that we tune ourselves to the lure of nature rather to compel the nature for understanding our nonsense pop songs?