Sadguru Shastriji Maharaj Shree Dharmajivandasji Swami initiated the Gurukul tradition to propagate the SADVIDYA through educational activities for the all-round development of students and consequently to prepare ideal citizens for healthy society and mighty country. In the holy shelter of Pujyapad Shree Jogi Swamiji various events are being organised to fulfill the objectives of Gurukul. One such national level event was constituted as 17th National Children’s Science Congress at SGVP.
17th National Children’s Science Congress
A programme of NCSTC-Network
27th – 31st December 2009
Host:
Gujarat Council of Science City
Department of Science & Technology, Govt of Gujarat
Co-Host:
SGVP International School, Ahmedabad
Supported & Catalyzed By
National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC)
Department of Science & Technology, Government of India
Theme
Planet Earth – Our Home, Explore, Care and Share
The National Children Science Congress is a prestigious national academic event held at different states every year during 26th to 31st December. It is a programme for the meritorious children of the age group of 10 to 17 years named as child scientists, both from formal and informal mode of education, along with eminent scientists and faculties of the country. The programme has been proved and provides a real platform for the budding scientists to make their career and profession in science.
The NCSC allow children to think of some significant societal problem, ponder over its cause and subsequently try to solve the same using the scientific process. The programme encourages a sense of discovery by involving close and keen observation, raising pertinent questions, building models, predicting solutions on the basis of a model, trying out various possible alternatives and arriving at an optimum solution using experimentation, field work, research and innovative ideas. It emboldens the participants to question many aspects of our progress and development and express their findings in vernacular languages.
It is matter of great pride that such a national academic programme was held in Ahmedabad for the first time since its inception in 1993. Gujarat Science City and SGVP International School has taken the lead to organize the programme for the benefit of the budding scientists of the country.
It was also another feature that child scientists and escort teachers from SAARC countries participated in the 17th NCSC this year.
Objectives of National Children’s Science Congress
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 visualize 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.
Apart from the 800 selected child scientists from India and abroad, the local schools of Gujarat also involved through different scientific activities and interactive programmes. Moreover, different scientific institutions from within and outside Gujarat also participated in scientific exhibition organized along with other activities.
The focal theme of this year’s children’s science congress was ‘PLANET EARTH – our home: Explore, Share and Care’. The programme aims at facilitating school and non school children in learning science into an enjoyable and creative activity, which encourage the students to visualize future of Nation and help them to build a generation of sensitive, responsible citizen.
Silient features
17th National Children’s Science Congress : As an inaugural event National flag and flag of host institutions were hoisted at Science City, Ahmedabad
An exhibition of scientific models was inaugurated at Science City
17th National Children’s Science Congress was inaugurated by Shree Hamid Ansari (Hon’ble Vice President of India).
In the science Exhibition at SGVP, 50 schools participated with working models. Students of International School and Darshanam Sanskrit Mahavidyalay illustrated the theme ‘Planet Earth, Our Home : Explore, Care and Share’ with various presentations and models. Moreover, entire exhibition was designed displaying the cause, effects and possible solutions to global warming.
Inauguration of this Science Exhibition was done by Prof. Yash Pal, Senior Scientist.
Cultural Programmes
During the event, the last session of the day was cultural programmes presented by the child scientists from various states. India as a garden of flowers various traditions spreads the fragrance of unity, divinity and brotherhood in the world. Presentation of various traditions of Indian culture on the dais made all to feel proud as a heritage of such great culture.
Sadguru Shastri Shree Madhavpriyadasji Swami satisfied the spiritual curiosity of young scientists. This was one of the sound responded sessions. Children and and all participants greatly impressed by erudite answers with the scientific view.
Science Exhibition
Accompanying with the theme of NCSC, 50 schools set working modules explaining the cause & effects of global warming with proposed solutions for that, in science exhibition at SGVP. Students of schools, colleges, research & development organizations, visitors and dignitaries from the various regions of Gujarat visited exhibition in very large extent. On observing striking ideas from children towards solution of social problems visitors, scientists and experts appreciated their enthusiasm and scientific way of reaction. This experiment has proved as a real and perfect platform for the budding scientist to make their progress in the field of science.
In SGVP Auditorium visitors enjoyed the informative highlights of Moon Mission, one of the great achievements of Indian Scientists.
Students of International school presented the scientific views and practical modules to minimize the effect of global warming.
Rushikumars from Darshanam Sanskrit Mahavidyalay too, exposed the ancient science of India and demonstrated the traditional ways to overcome the global warming effects practically.
Children Scientists Workshop
Bright Young Ideas…
Projects like ‘The effect of acid rain on germination of seeds, Degradation of Human Hair by Natural and Chemical Process, Comparative study on plant community in a rubber plant and mixed forest, and several others were presented during student-expert workshop. The evaluating committee said, “We are really impressed by the quality of work that these children scientists can produce. The standard has shown a substantial increase. They have made interesting observations about pollution control, radiation effects etc.”
It will also give participants a chance to question their related queries regarding many aspects of our progress and development and they will also get to express their findings in vernacular languages.
Video Conference
Students participated in live conversations with scientists across the country through video conferencing mode.
Training the Teachers
Dr. Sultan Ahmed Ismail, Head, Department of Biotechnology, The College conducted a workshop titles ‘Fen with Life Science’, for the teachers, with respect to the importance of science day-to-day life. He explained the importance of independent research and study which enhances the creativity of students instead of text-book work that hinders the growth of a child. ‘Science and Origami’ conducted by Dr. Ravindra Keskar was a workshop on origami and how it can be applied to scientific learning. The teachers found these workshops really enlightening and said that it would be wonderful to apply these in class-room learning.
Orienting for better Science
An orientation was conducted by Shree T.P. Raghunath and Shree Satyabrata Roy Bardhan on ‘Role of Science & Technology for voluntary organisations and Financial Accounting’ respectively, for the teachers and co-ordinators who work at schools, science institutions and NGOs. They were also briefed on voluntary organisation focusing on some successful case studies along with auditing and advantages of different Income Tax Acts.
Workshop for the students and visitors
Prof. J J Raval and other experts conduct daily workshop for the visiting schools to make them familiar with modern issues like moon mission, global warming etc. and to satisfy their curiosity in various fields of science. This was also highly responded session for the students and visitors.
Sweet meeting with Pujya Swamiji
All the students coming from different schools and states came to meet Swamiji and took his blessings. Swamiji also met all the state co-ordinators and addressed them.
ASEAN speak
The students from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) counties like Thailand, Taiwan and Laos have been passionately involved in experiments and presentations during the NCSC 2009. Adiradee, Bodin, Wanpen and Khamchan shared their views and said that they were really impressed by India and enthusiasm of students in all activities of NCSC. The students from Vientiane, Laos did projects on reduction of green-house gas using incinerators and solutions for disposal of wastes. They remarked that their countries focused more on nanotechnology whereas India focused more on the use of science in daily life.
Face to face interaction with National scientist
One of the sessions also saw an intellectual and thought provoking interaction between Dr. Yash Pal (Senior scientist, Chairperson of NCSTC) and the students of SGVP International school.
Students discussed and acquired the valuable thoughts on subjects like big bang theory and the creation of the universe, quantum physics was a reality or a myth, Einstein’s relativity theory and quantum gravity ,black hole theory and the stability of the sun, semi circular shape formed by rainbows, blueness of the sky and more. In the end of session, Dr. Yash Pal blessed all the students and hoped that many of them would go on to become world famous physicists earning laurels for the country and themselves.
During the NCSC, many prominent scientists of the country met Pujya Swamiji and expressed the feelings of great impression.
31 December, the last day of the year 2009 and that of 17th NCSC…
All children scientists, escorts and coordinators from all states stood in the vast ground making the map of India. Pujya Swamiji addressed them and spoke to them of the glory that India was. He also emphasised on the fact that we are not a Punjabi or a Gujrati or a Malayalee but we are Indians first, regional identities come later on.
Valedictory Function
The science exhibition came to an end with the valedictory function being held in the prayer hall.
Awarding participants
In the exhibition 50 schools participated with working models on the theme ‘Planet Earth, Our Home : Explore, Care and Share’. All models and presentations were observed by experts and proffered ones were promoted and awarded by SGVP
Honouring Child Scientists
About sixty scientists and experts evaluated nearly 600 projects and choose 25 models for further developments and training to respective children scientists. They were encouraged and awarded on dais by scientists and members of NCSC committee.
And thus…
This programme has been proved as a real and perfect platform for the budding scientists to make their career and profession in the field of science. The basal aim of this NCSC is to facilitate school and non-school children with the learning of science into enjoyable, fun-filled and creative activities. It will thus encourage the students who are the building blocks of nation to visualize a bright future of Nation and help tem to build a generation of selfish, sensitive and responsible citizens of the world.
It is worth to say that with the blessings of Pujyapad Shree Jogi Swamiji, guidance of elder saints and hard work of all staff the objectives of NCSC fulfilled at great extent on the campus of SGVP. The bright reflections on faces and heartily words of children scientists have showed the same.
Picture Gallery
