Somaiya Vidyavihar University (SVU), in collaboration with Somaiya Institute for Research & Consultancy (SIRAC) and K J Somaiya College of Engineering (KJSCE), has achieved a remarkable milestone under the auspices of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). We are delighted to announce that SVU has been chosen as one of the prestigious 10 Nodal Centers nationwide for the renowned ‘Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START) Programme’ endorsed by ISRO.
The inaugural training session took place at the SVU campus from July 20th to August 7th, 2023, marking a significant stride toward disseminating knowledge. Eminent scientists from ISRO graced the occasion and contributed to the success of the event.
The program commenced with a warm welcome from Dr Tirtha Pratim Das, Director of the Science Programme Office at ISRO Headquarters, Bangalore, India, and Dr Raghavendra Pratap Singh, Director of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun. Prof S Somanath, Chairman of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission, delivered an inspiring inaugural address. The audience also gained insights from distinguished experts, including Dr Shantanu Bhatwadekar, Scientific Secretary at ISRO, and Prof A S Kiran Kumar, Distinguished Scientist (Apex) and Former Chairman of ISRO and Space Commission.
The two-week session commenced with an enlightening discourse by Dr Tirtha Pratim Das on “India’s Space Exploration Endeavour: Context of ISRO’s START” program.
This was followed by a remarkable series of 22 lectures featuring luminaries such as Dr Suresh Babu and Dr Tarun Kumar Pant from the Space Physics Laboratory (SPL) at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Prof Archana Bhattacharyya from the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), and Dr R P Singh from IIRS, who generously shared their expertise and insights.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor for their unwavering support throughout this transformative journey. Their guidance and encouragement have played a pivotal role in propelling our university to participate in this prestigious program. We also appreciate the dedicated efforts of Dr Achala Danait (Director, SIRAC), Dr Shubha Pandit (Principal, KJSCE), and their teams, whose invaluable support ensured the seamless conduction of the Program.
A special thank you goes to Dr Santosh Mani, the Coordinator of the ISRO Nodal Centre at SVU, for his dedicated efforts. We are excited about the opportunity to spark curiosity in young space science and technology enthusiasts and to further strengthen our association with ISRO.
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