RONO HILLS, 23 Aug: Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) celebrated the 1st National Space Day with the theme “Touching Lives While Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga” at the university’s main campus on Friday.
During the celebration, RGU vice chancellor prof. Saket Kushwaha discussed the country’s glorious history and the importance, significance, and relevance of the Indian knowledge system. The VC also highlighted the prominence of science and technology in ancient India and encouraged everyone to take pride in India’s achievements. He later inaugurated an exhibition showcasing India’s technological advancements and space missions.
In his keynote address, prof. Som Kumar Sharma, head of the Space and Atmospheric Science Division at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, highlighted the historical development of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the importance of lunar missions, atmospheric science and remote sensing devices. He also discussed the potential for installing a new LIDAR at RGU.
University registrar Dr. Nabam Tadar Rikam emphasized the significance of Space Day celebrations and encouraged students to dedicate themselves to space technology development. RGU’s controller of examination in-charge Dr. David Pertin, urged the younger generation to take pride in India’s achievements in space exploration, particularly the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon, which made India the fourth country to land on the Moon and the first to do so in the Lunar south pole region.
Dean of the faculty of basic sciences, prof. Utpal Bhattacharjee, addressed historical issues that had previously hindered space technology development in India and encouraged the younger generation to overcome these challenges. Dr. Heisnam Shanjit Singh from RGU’s physics department discussed the impact of India’s advancements in space technology on everyday life.
A quiz contest on space science and technology among master’s students was also conducted as part of the celebration. Among others, the head of the physics department prof. Sanjeev Kumar and assistant professors Dr. Jyoti Jaiswal and Dr. Arnab Chakrabarti also spoke.
