50 ZP students to watch live rocket launch at Thumba Equatorial Station

After clearing a three-round examination process conducted by IUCAA, 50 students from 41 Pune ZP schools on Tuesday embarked on a three-day educational tour to ISRO

Pune: After clearing a three-round examination process conducted by the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), 50 students from 41 Pune Zilla Parishad schools on Tuesday embarked on a three-day educational tour to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The students will experience India’s advancements in space science up close, including a live rocket launch at the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station.

After clearing a three-round examination process conducted by IUCAA, 50 students from 41 Pune ZP schools on Tuesday embarked on a three-day educational tour to ISRO. (HT)

More than 13,000 students from zilla parishad schools had appeared for a three-stage examination conducted by IUCAA.

The selected students will tour key scientific centres in Kerala, including Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO Space Museum, Kerala Science and Technology Museum and Planetarium, Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) and Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST).

IUCAA conducted two interactive sessions “ISRO and Its Operations” and “Flight Science and the History of Rockets and Aeroplanes” for the students on Monday.

Addressing the students, Chandrakant Pulkundwar, divisional commissioner of Pune, said, “Stay curious, keep learning, and always think scientifically.”

Gajanan Patil, CEO, Pune Zilla Parishad, “Visiting institutions like ISRO ignites curiosity, broadens perspectives, and motivates students to dream big and contribute to India’s scientific journey.”

This educational tour forms part of the Pune Zilla Parishad’s broader mission to ensure quality, experience-based learning for students from government schools.