he advancement in science and technology, witnessed during the past few decades, is no doubt amazing. Never before has such a feat been paralleled. However at present, we are going through an age of paradox. We are talking our overseas friends and relatives the moment we desire to contact them, using cell phones. We are crowding the camps organized by the science activists to witness the celestial show of solar eclipse. Stem cell therapy is promising to restore our damaged organs. Our scientists are successfully sending spaceship to the moon. On the other hand, we are carrying precious stones to ward off the "evil influence of some planets". After buying a railway ticket, we are adding the figures in the ticket number to get an idea as to the chance of getting success in the work we are going for. Even our top-ranking scientists are visiting the temple to fetch blessings before launching a satellite.
Opportunists are reaping rich harvest out of our blind faith. Newspapers and TV channels are propagating astrological predictions with an explicit motive to increase the number of readers and viewers. Some people are flourishing from business of the precious stones. Politicians are inaugurating astrological conferences to woo the public sentiment.
In this backdrop, no doubt the Hyderabad Chapter of the Jadavpur University Alumni Association, did a commendable job by organizing three symposia on popular science involving school students in 2009, 2010 and 2012. The local branch, formed in 1975, rejuvenated its activities in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in April, 2004. So far, it has successfully organized some cultural events and also extended helping hand to some meritorious but financially challenged students. Its endeavor to inculcate
scientific outlook in the mind of the youngsters, highlights awareness of the members of their commitment to the society.
Symposium on popular science 1:
The first symposium on the 29 August 2009 (Saturday), at the main auditorium of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT, CSIR) Hyderabad, involved 85 students chosen from Class IX,X, XI and XII of different reputed schools of the twin cities, one teacher from each school and several other dignitaries. The program was started with the welcome address by the Alumni President, Smt Chandana Khan (IAS, Commissioner of Inquiries, Government of Andhra Pradesh), the recent activities of the local branch were outlined by the General Secretary, Mr Debashis Basu (Managing Director, Voith India Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad). In his keynote address, Dr Madhab K.Chattopadhyay, Convener the of the symposium and a Scientist, working at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB, CSIR), Hyderabad, talked about the persistent influence of blind faith in this country and emphasized the necessity of promoting scientific temperament. Subsequently, the Chief Guest of the occasion, Dr Anjan Chaki, Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate, Department of Atomic Energy, Hyderabad, underscored the importance of fostering scientific outlook.
In the inaugural lecture, Dr Lalji Singh, ex-Director, CCMB, highlighted his work on tracing the origin of the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar islands by DNA analysis. He also mentioned that there are some unique features in the genetic composition of the Indian population and etiologies of different genetic diseases are different in the Indian population from those in other global populations. Dr Subir K Chaudhuri, Associate Director, Research Centre Imarat (DRDO), Hyderabad, explained the
construction and operation of different types of missiles with the help of a video. Dr Suman Mukherji, a Delhi-based medical professional working as the Superintendent of Employees State Insurance Hospital (Nacharam, Hyderabd), clarified the role of our life-style in coronary heart disease. Dr M.V. Jagannadham, Scientist, CCMB, detailed how the large number of proteins in a cell could be analyzed with the help of proteomics and how this technique could be used to identify drug targets in cancer. After the lunch break, Dr RamRup Sarkar, Scientist, CCMB, emphasized the relevance and importance of mathematics in biological research. The last speaker of the session, Dr Utpal Bhadra, Scientist, CCMB, illustrated with the help of a cartoon film, how RNA- interference, a novel genetic technique, could be used to study gene function, human development and also to inhibit various microbes. A summary of each lecture in the local language (Telugu) was delivered to the audience by the chairperson, Dr N. Madhusudhana Rao, Scientist, CCMB.
The enthusiastic response of the students was evident from the interesting questions asked by them after the lectures.
The Science Quiz in the second session, jointly conducted by Mr Bedadyuti Chakraborty, the noted writer of popular science, at present working as a Scientist at Dr Reddy's Laboratory, Hyderabad and Mr Banibrata De, a Computer Engineer working in Microsoft India, Hyderabad, was very interesting, entertaining and exciting. The informative and attractive souvenir, compiled and edited by Dr Chanchal Sarbajna, Scientist, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research, Hyderabad and Dr M.K.Chattopadhyay (CCMB), was keenly collected by the participants.
Symposium on popular science 2:
The all round success of the program inspired the organizers to make it again on 21 August 2010 at the same venue. This time, the symposium was attended by 170 students. In the keynote address Dr M.K.Chattopadhyay, Convener, highlighted the indifference and insensitivity seen among the highly educated people of our society to crucially important issues like environmental pollution or green house effect and emphasized the importance of popular science symposia in creating awareness among the people.
In the inaugural lecture, Dr Lalji Singh, explained the basic concept involved in the DNA Fingerprinting technique and presented several examples of legal cases in which his research team helped the judiciary with evidences generated using this technique.
Dr S.Shivaji, Deputy Director, CCMB narrated his experience of exploring the South Pole and North Pole and presented an overview of his research work on Antarctic bacteria. Professor Dharmajit Guptasharma, ex-Director, National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, spoke about various theories on the nature of light. Dr M.V.Jagannadham presented the summary of each talk in Telugu.
After the lunch break, a Quick fire presentation by school students students was organized. Their presentations comprise 3- minute-talk, each, on burning topics viz, origin of earth, astronomical advancement, global warming, swine flu, adverse effects of cell phone etc. Ms T.Piyusha Varshini, a Class X student of Cambridge High School, won the first prize.
Symposium on popular science 3:
The third symposium, held on 7 January 2012 at the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) auditorium, Kanchanbag, Hyderabad and convened by Dr Chanchal Sarbajna, (Atomic Minerals Directorate, Department of Atomic Energy, Hyderabad) was attended by 144 students from 21 schools along with one teacher from each school. In the inaugural session, the president of the association Smt Chandana Khan (Principal Secretary, Primary Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh), welcomed everybody and inspired the schools to organize similar type of programs. Shri Amal Chakrabarti, (Distinguished Scientist, DRDO, Hyderabad) emphasized the need for creating interest in studies and research in pure science among the youngsters, who are opting, by and large at present, for the greener pasture of engineering and medicine.
In the first lecture of the scientific session, Professor D.Balasubramanian, Director of Research, L.V Prasad Eye Institute (Hyderabad), explained the scientific basis of cloning and subsequently demonstrated the utility of stem cells in repairing damaged cornea with the help of a video show. Subsequently, Professor A.K.Datta, former Head of the Department of Applied Physics, Calcutta University, spoke elaborately on the life and work of Professor Satyendranath Bose.
In between these two lectures, contributions of Dr Prafulla Chandra Ray in the area of chemistry, history of science and also his role as an entrepreneur were outlined by Dr M.K.Chattopadhyay, Scientist, CCMB (Hyderabad).
In the post- lunch session one student from each school made a 3-minutes' presentation on a number of pre-announced topics (viz, nanotechnology, graphene, cloning, biofuel, artificial intelligence, effect of radiation, arsenic-eating bacterium etc). The judges had a trying time in choosing the toppers in this keenly contested event as well as in a poster competition arranged outside the auditorium.
The relevance and importance of this type of events need hardly to be overemphasized. The endeavor made by the association to inculcate scientific temperament among the students has been highly appreciated in the twin cities and has engendered a surge of interest among the students and teachers alike. The association is receiving requests from the schools to increase the frequency of the symposia. Students are coming forward to participate even when they are not deputed by their schools. Widely circulated dailies are covering the affair in details.
The alumni association aspires to conduct the symposium in a bigger scale inviting students from different parts of the state in near future.