PUNE: Amalgamating the traditional scientific knowledge and the modern science, the Punarutthan Samrasta Gurukulam, Chinchwad recently inaugurated the ‘Science Digital Laboratory’, to introduce the children to well-equipped laboratories, scientists, their experiments and the science.
The lab was inaugurated by Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, recently. The lab has become the reality due to the efforts of Pune Science Forum and renowned scientists Yogesh Souche from National Centre for Cell Science Research, Centre for Microbial Resource, Arvind Natu, Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), Jeevanprakash Kulkarni, Indian Meteorological Society, Dinesh Nisang and Shrikant Pawar. The Gurukulam is an NGO run by renowned social activist Girish Prabhune. Prabhune is known for his work for the children of Pardhis and other nomadic tribes.
While talking to Sakal Times, Prabhune said, “At Gurukulam, we have children from various nomadic tribes who have traditional knowledge passed over to them through generations. These children are good at understanding the science between casting, ironwork, medicinal plants, astronomy etc., but they do not understand how a science lab functions and experiments are carried out,” said Prabhune.
Precisely, here, we are trying to introduce them to the science behind things, be it use of science, the science behind cooking or health,” he added. The children for a month or so will be introduced to various scientists, their work, the laboratories around the city. All these children are from Std VII to X,” he said.
“Earlier, we used to organise lectures by scientists from Pabal Vigyan Ashram, Pune Engineering College, IIT Powai through video conferencing, sometimes they would also visit us, but every time it is not possible for either of them to be physically present,” Prabhune said. Similarly, these students have science lecture every day. They learn science from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm and one hour in the morning from 7.30 am to 8.30 am besides that if they want to learn more they are free to do that,” he said.
“We will fix a time with prior appointments with the researchers/ scientists and there would be an interaction between students and the science institute faculty. Currently, we have scientists/researchers from Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), IISER, NCCS and few are doing it in their personal capacity,” Prabhune said.
“Likewise, Ashok Nagarkar from DRDO too comes to us every Saturday and gives a lecture. We want these students to take up science in their lives,” Prabhune concluded.
FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT
“We have been selected from 350 schools under government initiative. for developing schools. Besides that Pune Science Forum too will be helping us,” said Prabhune
A UNIQUE PROJECT
“It is the first of its kind project in the city and it will be further extended on State level and later on at the national level. It is not always possible to bring students to the laboratories, but through this initiative, the children can see how a scientist perform an experiment or carries out the research sitting in Gurukulam,” said Souche.
