The current academic year’s activities for the tribal students of Vinoba Niketan undertaken by ARPAN, an informal collective of over 175 employees of ISRO, was launched by Unnikrishnan Nair, Project Director, Human Space Flight programme of the Indian Space Research Organisation, on Sunday.
He explained the various activities that were being undertaken by the ISRO and interacted with the children of the Aryanad-based Vinoba Niketan, a non-governmental organisation, which provides accommodation and education to tribal girl students from across the State. The centre provides shelter to around 150 girls, in the 10-17 age group.
“The facility has been suffering from acute fund shortage in recent times. Volunteers of ARPAN have been conducting classes for the residents of the hostel,” said Jawaharji, Head, Power and Rate gyro Electronics Section, ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Thiruvananthapuram. The collective was founded by Mr. Jawaharji on January 1, 2011.
The collective comprises employees of various ISRO centres, including Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), IISU (all in Thiruvananthapuram); ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) (Bengaluru); and Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sreeharikota).
During the course of four years, ARPAN had extended support to over 200 chronically ill patients and 400 underprivileged students both in terms of financial support as well as materials.
“The organisation has adopted a three-tier approach while assisting patients. We ensure that our help reaches the ones in dire need by a first-hand assessment of the socio-economic background of the beneficiary. Monetary assistance, within ARPAN’s means, is then provided to those identified,” he said.
