In association with Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, has organised a three-day World Space Week celebrations till Sunday.
According to a press release, Rajeev Singh, Executive Director, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Ranipet, inaugurated the World Space Week celebrations and urged the students to concentrate and understand the concepts of science and technology. Even though India started late in the field of space technology, it has progressed well because of the efforts of ISRO, making the country one of the top five countries in the field.
Deputy Director (Vehicle Assembly and Launch Facility) of Satish Dhawan Space Centre A. Syed Hamed said that ISRO celebrates World Space Week every year in various institutions targeting students. During the 1960s, Mr. Vikram Sarabhai, who is known as the father of the Indian space programme, envisioned that space science and technology would play an important role in the development of the country, he said.
In his address, G. Viswanathan, Chancellor of VIT, said India has been competing with developed countries in the space science and technology sector. Earlier, it was the USA and the Soviet Union which competed in space programmes and now India has been at the forefront in the field. India was one of the best countries in space technology and the technology should be beneficial to the country’s economy and the economic development of the people, he said.
Later in the day, Mr. Viswanathan inaugurated an exhibition that featured various achievements of ISRO. On the occasion, VIT Vice-Presidents Sankar Viswanathan and G.V. Selvam, Pro-Vice Chancellor S. Narayanan, Registrar T. Jayabarathi and Chief Educational Officer (Vellore) K. Munusamy participated, the release said.
