Meet the experts

Children got an opportunity to interact with experts from different fields and gain insight.

January 05, 2010 08:36 pm | Updated 08:36 pm IST

Children with singer K. S. Chithra

Children with singer K. S. Chithra

Music, architecture, space technology, information technology, art and culture… The young participants of the Naalekuttam programme, organised as part of the recently concluded Thiruvananthapuram Book Fair, got a chance to sneak a peak into all these different fields by interacting with eminent personalities from these fields.

Around 120 students participated in the interactive programme organised by the Kerala State Institute of Children's Literature. Former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) G. Madhavan Nair, singer K.S. Chithra, environmental scientist Prof. M.K. Prasad, IT expert Achuthshankar S. Nair and architect Benny Kuriakose were among those who participated in the interaction.

Volley of questions

Each programme proved to be a unique experience for the participants who grilled and shared anecdotes with the celebrities. While melody queen Chithra with her flawless rendering, it was the intricacies of space technology that kept the students spellbound during the interaction with Mr. Madhavan Nair, who was surprised by the level of awareness and curiosity of students regarding space technology.

“Will 2012 mark the end of the world?” was one of the questions fired at the former ISRO chief. Thankfully for the kids, Mr. Nair replied in the negative and also assured them that there is no possibility of anything from the space hitting the earth in the next 150 years. “If there is any such possibility of the destruction of earth it will be only through a nuclear war,” he said.

Ms. Chithra, gave the children a few tips on humility and keeping one's feet firm in the ground on the face of success.

“A person becomes arrogant when he feels that he knows everything. In the same way the more we garner knowledge the more we understand the extent of our ignorance,” she said. She also shared her views on the music industry and reality shows.

Noted architect Benny Kuriakose shared the virtues of low cost houses at the interaction with students. “The general notion in Kerala of spending large amount of money to construct low cost houses needs to be changed. Only then can we build houses that are suitable to our climate and environment,” he said.

IT expert Achuthshankar S. Nair warned the children against spending too much time in front of the computer and television. “Too much time spent watching TV or playing computer games can affect your creativity,” he said. Animation expert Prakash Murthy also interacted with the students at Naalekuttam.

Apart from interactions, a creative workshop was also held as part of the Naalekuttam programme in which the students were introduced to various arts and crafts.

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