What will enthral scientific curiosity and motivate young minds, a group of ten students of Bilaspur, located in the state of Himachal Pradesh, shall be big with their forthcoming educational tour to their chosen destination at the Indian Space Research Organisation. The district administration has arranged for a tour of these students to the Space Application Centre of ISRO, Ahmedabad, so that an opportunity availed perhaps for a lifetime to visit the world of space science and to get firsthand exposure to the kind of work going on in such a premier scientific institution is availed.

One of the main objectives of this educational tour is to sulphur interest about science and space fields among the rural students. It wants rural students to get exposed to ISRO’s programs and installations, undergo marvels expressed over them, and chase their careers in Science and Technology.

The event was flagged off by Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, Himachal Pradesh, in the presence of parents of the students and district administration. This has been taken after the inauguration of the Space Lab at Boy’s School of Ghumarwin, which throws models of various programs at ISRO. Opening of Space Lab is an initiative to bring interest among students in science and attract them toward the field of space science.

They would visit ISRO’s Space Application Centre and get exposure to state-of-the-art technologies pertaining to space science in various aspects and its applications. They would also be taken to the country’s biggest space museum, situated at Gujarat Science City, which has state-of-the-art facilities like an IMAX 3-D theatre, an energy park, a life science park, a musical fountain, and a Hall of Space.

On the other hand, this becomes an educational tour of immense value as the exposure is extended to applying science and technology for broadening horizons and building up scientific thinking. Inspiration from the ISRO progress broke upon quite a few young minds the reasons to imagine the possibilities and potential for a career in space science.

The setting up of a Space Lab, plus the organizing of this educational tour, serves to show the commitment of the district administration and the government of Himachal Pradesh toward making scientific education more inspiring to the next generation of scientists and innovators. It also validates its commitment to giving equal opportunity to rural students to grow and blossom in science.

It has much focused on hands-on experiences and the exposure to real-life applications of concepts learnt in science. The basic aim of this tour shall be to expose students to the environment of ISRO, make them interact with the scientists and engineers working therein, and make them realize the passion for studying science to pursue higher education and building a career in science subjects.

The educational tour to ISRO thus becomes a stepping stone toward the nurture of scientific talent and creation of a culture of innovation and exploration amongst young minds. Long way, it goes in proving the concept of experiential learning and its role in shaping the future of education within the state of Himachal Pradesh.