T.N. govt. school students on cloud nine over their visit to Russia
The Hindu
50 govt. school students, 12 teachers, and A. Sivathanu Pillai, former CEO of BrahMos Aerospace, embark on a trip to Russia to gain first-hand experience in rocket and space science. Tests, projects, and online classes were conducted to select the students. They will visit Rocket Technology, Petropavalovsk Fort Victory Tower, Ware Exhibition, Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, and interact with cosmonauts. Minister for Environment and Climate Change and former Chief Secretary felicitated the students. Agathiya Rocket Science Programme and P. Thangappan of IRCCI coordinated the programme.
Clad in blue coats and trousers, 50 students of government schools across the State, are overwhelmed with joy as they are ready to visit Russia to have a first-hand experience in rocket and space science. They will be leaving Chennai on Saturday and return on October 7. Twelve teachers are also accompanying them.
They were among the 500 students who attended the online classes on rocket and space science conducted by A. Sivathanu Pillai, former Chief Executive Officer of BrahMos Aerospace and Chief Controller of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), when the country was reeling under the pandemic caused by COVID-19.
“We regularly conducted tests to filter the talents. The projects submitted by students were also taken into consideration to prepare the final list,” said Mr. Pillai, who would lead the team. In Russia, the students could learn a lot unlike the U.S. where access was limited. “But for the Ukraine war, the students can visit laboratories in Russia. The laboratories are busy because of the war,” he said.
They would visit Rocket Technology and Petropavalovsk Fort Victory Tower, Ware Exhibition, Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre and other places and interact with cosmonauts. “It is just the beginning. Students have the capacity, and it is for the teachers to bring out their talents,” he said.
Siva .V. Meyyanathan, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, said a lot of students from government schools became famous space scientists. Former Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu, who felicitated the students, said the students should be closely monitored as they were capable of reaching great heights. “Everyone is born with talents. Only exposure and opportunity will make them great,” he said.
The entire initiative was coordinated by Agathiya Rocket Science Programme. The visas and travel arrangements are made by P. Thangappan, Secretary General of Indo Russian Center for Culture and Industries (IRCCI).
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.