An Unforgettable Experience – Sastrayaan 2018
Dear Readers,
I am Steve Chalil Baiju of Grade VI representing Bahrain Indian School and I would like to share my tryst with Sastrayaan -2018.
But before I begin, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire Science India Forum team (SIF); Vijnana Bharati of India; and ISRO for organizing the educational trip to the most prestigious scientific research organizations of India.
The visit to the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota being the highlight; provided me with much new and pristine knowledge in science and technology, Astronomy, space research etc.
The first day’s visit was centred around Central Leather Research Institute (C.L.R. I) and Structural Engineering centre (S.E.C.) which are the two branches of C.S.I.R. (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research). The interactive sessions with the Directors and Senior Scientists at the facilities were indeed very enriching.
At C.L.R.I. we got the opportunity to witness how the raw animal skin is processed into finely finished leather, ready to be used to make products such as shoes, bags, jackets etc. We also had the opportunity to see a demo of wastewater management as leather processing requires a lot of water.
At the S.E.C, the innovative journey of the Senior Scientists brought forth the amazing new facts. The scientists also showed us amazing structural models during our visit. We also had an informative session named “Meet the Scientist”.
It was my second day and by looking at the progress as made by India in the field of science and technology among others; made me realize the greatness of our great nation India, and I was filled with immense pride. Located on the highly secured island of Sriharikota; about 100 km from Chennai, the Satish Dhawan Space Center is the space port of India; the only place in India to facilitate rocket-launch.
We had the chance to visit the space museum where the GSLV, PSLV models are displayed, along with information about the pioneers in astronomy. Further, we had an enriching interactive session lead by one of the senior most space scientists in India, who talked at length about ISRO, and also presented us with an in-depth analysis of aerodynamics.
The best part was the visit to the actual rocket launching stations 1 & 2, from where the famous rockets like PSLV C37 and GSLV MkIII etc, were launched into space. The launch tower is almost 85-86 meter tall and at the bottom, it has a jet deflector that reduces the strong flames during the rocket launch.
A senior scientist accompanied us throughout the tour of the stations and briefed us through the launching process from beginning till the end. We also visited the rocket assembly building, which connects with a track to move the rocket to the launch tower. Then we moved to the Mission Control Center, where the live test of the GSLV MK III was being telecasted on a large screen.
We were also provided insights into the rocket mission and the responsibility of the each of the officers during the launch.
The third-day visit was at the Periyar Science and Technology Center (PSTC) and B.M. Birla Planetarium. We enjoyed the view of the live constellations and information about space on a 360-degree screen, at the planetarium.
Next followed the visit to the Science and Technology Hall in PSTC where we went through different models depicting radioactivity and had an opportunity to learn about famous people who contributed to science and technology.
Our next visit was to the Defense research hall where we saw amazing miniatures of Army Tankers, Bridge layer Tanks, Aeronautical Systems, Missile launcher, Army Uniforms etc. The one I came to like the most was the BRAHMOS missile model, developed by India and France.
After that, we went to the innovation hub where many working robotic models were displayed such as Lego robotic rubrics cube solver, 3D printer and many more interesting demos. Another attraction was presented to us by the senior scientists on air and pressure including Bernard’s principle. They also showed experiments with liquid nitrogen.
The experiments gave me an insight of how science can play an important role in our day to day life. We also had an interactive session with the joint director of Science and Technology of Tamil Nadu, Dr S. Soundararaja Perumal, who brilliantly explained about Astronomy, Cosmology and their scope in our lives.
I take this opportunity to thank each and every member of SIF team for giving me this opportunity to understand the facility, strength and contribution of India in the Science Technology and Astronomy sector globally. Definitely, the experience has been a life-defining one for me and lays a clear pathway for my career, and future as an active contributor towards science and technology to support the international community, and help develop my great nation. INDIA.
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