- Organised in association with Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar
- More than 5400 students from the district participate in Dhenkanal and Angul
Narendrapur, October 20, 2023: 17th edition of ‘Young Astronomer Talent Search’ (YATS) competition, that seeks to identify and promote the talent of school students of Odisha in the field of space science, has been organised in various schools in Dhenkanal and Angul. The core objective of this programme extends beyond academics, aiming to create awareness of space science, astrophysics, and astronomy. It also helps the students learn about the legacy of Pathani Samanta, the legendary Odia-astronomer.
YATS is being organised by Tata Steel in collaboration with Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar. The competition, comprised of On the Spot Quiz and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) competitions, were organised in schools around Tata Steel Meramandali plant and other parts of Dhenkanal and Angul districts. School teachers, community representatives and officials from Tata Steel Meramandali were present on this occasion.
More than 2200 students from 11 High Schools of Dhenkanal District such as Kharagprasad Government High School, Kusupanga Government High School, Odapada Government High School, Panchayat Government High School, Maa Langabauti High School Sibapur, Gopabandhu High School Khaliberena, Parikul Government High School, Paika Purunakot, Sudhakar Samanta Singhara High School, Kurunti, Brahmani Public School, Kharagprasad, Government Upgraded High School, Nuahata, and Mangalpur Government High School, participated in this programme.
Also, over 3200 participants from 15 high schools of Angul town, Talcher, Banarpal, NALCO Town participated.
This year, YATS is being offered in two modes of participation: physical and virtual. Students can either take part in the test at their schools or online through the YATS website (http://bit.ly/YATS2023). They need to register on the site to participate virtually. The test will determine the finalists who will compete in the final round of competitions at the Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar, on December 13, 2023. This date coincides with the birth anniversary of the renowned Odia astronomer Mahamahopadhyaya Chandrasekhara Singha Harichandana Mahapatra Samanta, also known as Pathani Samanata.
The theme of YATS 2023 is “The Moon Base – Future Launchpad for Space. Top two participants from each district of Odisha will be selected and invited to the grand finale in Bhubaneswar. After further evaluation based on personal interactions, top 20 winners will be awarded on the occasion and will get opportunity to visit one of the ISRO facilities.
