ISRO chief calls for promoting scientific temper among the younger generation

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Sivan Tuesday said inculcating scientific temper among the younger generation was the only way to protect the future. He also said that researchers have a responsibility to generate future human resource by involving students in various stages of the world of space research.

Sivan was speaking at the National Space Science Symposium co-hosted by Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) and Savitribai Phule Pune University.

"ISRO has launched 'Samvad with Students' initiative. It is also establishing six technology incubation centres and research institutes covering all the regions of the country to provide a strong foothold to space science research and development activities across the country," he said.

The ISRO chief added that such outreach programmes would help tap the young talent across the country.

"Inculcating scientific temper in younger generation alone will safeguard our future...students, especially girls, should be invited to such symposiums just to make them aware of the research opportunities and possibilities..." he added.

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He also suggested making it mandatory for the all symposium organisers to invite students and organise special sessions for them.

"Children will get the opportunity to interact with researchers and will be able to make informed career choices...otherwise there will always be an oversupply of under-skilled engineers taking up IT jobs," he said.

Talking about India's upcoming space missions, Sivan said Chandrayaan-II lunar exploration mission will be launched in April this year.

"ISRO has embarked on ambitious space exploration programme...This year, we are going to launch Chandrayaan-II, which will land near the south pole of the moon and it will have a roller to explore the lunar surface," he said.

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He also said that EXPO Sat and Aditya L-1 mission (to study the sun) would be launched in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

"Between 2020 and 2025, many exciting planetary missions are in planning and this include Return to Mars, a new mission to Venus and joined a mission with Japan's JAXA to the lunar south pole for further water prospecting," he added.