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New Delhi : In order to highlight the value and impact of fundamental research to a broad cross-section of audience including students, academician and industry, and to further strengthen India’s participationin mega-science Projects, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) have jointly organised a multi-venue mega-science exhibition, Vigyan Samagam.
The exhibition will be held in New Delhi from 21stJanuary to 20thMarch, 2020 at the National Science Centre (NSC), PragatiMaidan.The inaugural function will be attended by Shri KN Vyas, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Secretary, DAE; Prof.Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST; and Shri YogendraTripathi, Secretary, Ministry of Culture. Dr Paul Ho, Director General, East Asian Observatory, Hawaii, USA will deliver the keynote address during the inaugural function.
VigyanSamagam exhibition is showcasing India’s contribution to international collaborations on fundamental science and research, and providing a common interactive platform for mega-science Projects, industry, academia and institutions. “It is a science communication platform for policymakers, representatives of print and electronic media along with members of civil society”, said Shri Arun Srivastava, Secretary, AEC and Head, Institutional Collaboration & Programs Division (ICPD), Nuclear Control and Planning Wing (NCPW), DAE, addressing a curtain raiser press conference here today. “The exhibition is also ushering fundamental science and research as a strong career option for the youngsters. Such a spectrum of audience is expected to pave the way for a greater interaction between all stakeholders resulting in cross-fertilisation of ideas”, he added.
Mega-science collaborations proposed to be showcased in VigyanSamagam include:
1. European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
2. Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR)
3. India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO)
4. International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)
5. Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)
6. Square Kilometre Array (SKA)
7. Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT)
A first-of-its-kind exhibition, the VigyanSamagam is being hosted in a caravan mode at four cities – Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Delhi – from May 2019 to March 2020with around two months at each venue. The previous schedule is as given below:
1. Mumbai – From 8thMay to 7thJuly, 2019
2. Bengaluru – From 29thJuly to 28thSeptember, 2019
3. Kolkata – From 4thNovember to 31stDecember, 2019
In the preceding editions, VigyanSamagam witnessed enormous response at Mumbai and Bengaluru as evident from the footfall of about 1.3 lakh at both the venues. The footfall doubled at Kolkata to approximately 3 lakh visitors, garnering a cumulative total of 5.5 lakh visitors from the three previous editions.
School activities like quizzes, essay-writing / drawing contests, andpopular outdoor programmes like science awareness cyclothon etc. are carried out ateach venue during VigyanSamagam.
Newspaper and magazine articles showcasing India’s contribution inmega-science are published in print media during the exhibition. Interviews with eminentpersonalities visiting the exhibition are being carried out for publication in print and electronic media.
Exclusive website www.vigyansamagam.in and mobile application VigyanSamagam have been launched in addition of digital campaign / communications using social mediaplatforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Popular talks/lectures/events are live streamed onsocial media.
The exhibition at NSC, New Delhi will be open on all days from 21stJanuary to 20thMarch, 2020 including Weekend and Holidays from 10 AM to 6 PM.
National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, as a venue partner is providing the required venues at selected cities, exhibition stalls and necessary infrastructural and logistic support to conduct the exhibition.
