Odisha Minister Flags Off ISRO Tour For Winners Of Tata Steel’s Astronomer Talent Search

Bhubaneswar: Minister of Science & Technology Ashok Chandra Panda on Monday flagged off the winners of the Tata Steel Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2022–23 for a tour of the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Ahmedabad.

The 20 winners, including students from across Odisha and their guide teachers, led by Director of the Pathani Samanta Planetarium Sanjulata Behera, started the journey from Bhubaneswar. It will culminate on May 29.

The formal launch of this inspirational trip was conducted at the Pathani Samanta Planetarium in Bhubaneswar, attended by distinguished officials, including Sarvesh Kumar, Corporate Communications Chief of Tata Steel, and Subhendu Patnaik, Deputy Director of Pathani Samanta Planetarium.

The top 20 winners, selected during the grand finale of YATS on December 13, 2022, will tour various SAC labs and gain insights from India’s elite space scientists, nurturing their enthusiasm in the realm of space exploration. In addition to the SAC, the students will also visit Science City and IIT Gandhinagar, for exposure to science and technology.

Congratulating the students, the minister said, “Tata Steel and Pathani Samanta Planetarium have played a pivotal role in offering this remarkable platform to nurture the budding talents in Odisha and ignite their passion for astronomy. With this, we expect the young generation to forge a brilliant path in the realm of space science and technology.”

Describing the initiative as a distinctive endeavour, Sarvesh Kumar said it would inspire young learners to stretch their intellectual horizons beyond traditional academic confines and fosters the budding scientists within them.

Tata Steel’s annual flagship event, organised in collaboration with Pathani Samanta Planetarium, has experienced a massive response in this edition, with over 77,500 students from schools across 30 districts participating. This year’s theme, “Time to unravel the universe,” accurately portrays the spirit of the programme, igniting an enthralling cosmic exploration.

Since its inception in 2007, YATS has been engaged in enhancing awareness about astronomy and space science among students while honouring the contributions of renowned Odia astronomer Pathani Samanata. It enables the students, especially those from rural and remote regions of the state, to showcase their skills and gain recognition in the space science sector.

YATS has attracted more than 270,000 young science enthusiasts from the state over the past 16 years. A total of 180 victorious students have been granted the privilege of visiting various ISRO facilities.