Narendrapur : Asutosh Acharya from GMR Varalakshmi DAV Public School, Dhenkanal, and Ranesh Swain from DAV Public School MCL Kalinga Area, Talcher, Angul have made the districts proud with the rare distinction of being selected among the top 20 winners in the state wide Tata Steel Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2023 and visiting Space Application Centre of Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO), Ahemedabad.
1,906 students from Dhenkanal district and 3,374 students from Angul district had participated in the activation round of YATS. In the final selection round held at Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar, both clinched spots in the top 20 students from 60 students from across Odisha who were nominated to the final round.
Asutosh from Dhenkanal, son of Bibhudutta Acharya and Rajashree Hota, expressed his delight, saying, “I joined YATS because of my interest in ISRO’s missions and the engineering behind each component. I aspire to develop electronic components for ISRO, advancing semiconductor technology in our country. YATS allowed me to explore my passion for space by facilitating meeting with eminent scientists, and visiting ISRO facilities. It was an unforgettable experience that deepened my understanding of satellites and ISRO’s inner workings, and I made many like-minded friends dedicated to advancing our nation’s space programme.”
Ranesh son of Sanjaya Kumar Swain and Rajalaxmi Jena from Angul district also shared his experience, stating, “One of my teachers informed me about Tata Steel YATS and I participated due to my interest in astronomy and space technology. I plan to pursue aeronautical engineering and research and Tata Steel’s YATS programme has been crucial in my journey. Visiting the Vikram Sarabhai Space Research Center and ISRO was a dream come true. I was overwhelmed by the instruments used in satellites, Chandrayaan, and Mangalyaan. The trip was incredibly informative and I am grateful for the opportunity.”
The 17th edition of YATS saw 80,000 students participating under the theme “The Moon Base – Future Launchpad for Space.” The top 20 winners visited Ahmedabad ISRO facility and gained first-hand experience in space science.
Since its inception in 2007, YATS has been instrumental in fostering awareness of astronomy and space science, paying homage to the legacy of Pathani Samanta. Over 17 years, Tata Steel YATS has captivated the enthusiasm of over 350,000 young science enthusiasts from the state, with 200 students getting the opportunity to visit ISRO facilities.
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