Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday felicitated winners of the Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2023.
Patnaik said such platforms ignite young minds to think out of the box.
The event, organised by Tata Steel in association with the Pathani Samanta Planetarium of the state government, witnessed the participation of more than 80,000 students from across the state.
“Over the years, YATS has evolved as a platform that ignites young minds to think out of the box and kindle their interest in the field of astronomy. This programme is a befitting homage to the great son of Odisha, Pathani Samanta, as it continues to attract more and more students to the field of science and astronomy,” Patnaik said.
Tata Steel’s Vice President of Corporate Services Chanakya Chaudhary said it was very encouraging that so many young minds were turning their attention to astronomy.
The competition included an open quiz for students of classes 6 to 8, conducted physically in schools, and an assessment for students of classes 9 and 10, conducted physically in schools and online.
The top 20 students along with their teachers will be taken on a visit to a facility of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) around June next year, and they will be given the opportunity to interact with space scientists, officials said.
PTI