SIKKIM: AIR programmes on astronomy in local languages mooted
Posted by barunroy on July 10, 2009
FROM THE STATESMAN
GANGTOK, 9 JULY: To review special programmes on astronomy broadcast by the All India Radio, the Sikkim State Council of Science and Technology today held a meeting as well as a workshop at the Sikkim Science Centre.
Participants from Sikkim, other parts of the North-East region, West Bengal and Orissa attended the workshop supported by Vigyan Prasar, department of science and technology. The programme was held as part of the national effort of Vigyan Prasar to disseminate information on astronomy and related fields.
“We are looking into ways for developing independent programmes prepared by the local people in local language instead of the Centrally prepared programmes which are translated,” said Dr Venkatesh Swaran, senior scientist of Vigyan Prasar.
Presently, special 30 minutes programmes on astronomy are being aired in 19 regional languages including Nepali language by the 117 AIR stations in the country. The programmes have been specially prepared to commemorate the year 2009 as the ‘International Year of Astronomy’ declared by UNESCO to celebrate the 400 years of telescope used by famous scientist Galileo that set the stage for scientific study of the space.
Dr Swaran claimed: “We are preparing 54 programmes on astronomy this year from March. The response to the programmes broadcast by AIR centres so far has been overwhelming,” he added.
State information and public relation minister Miss Neeru Sewa said that efforts must be made to spread the benefit of science and technology to every layer of the society.
