T.N. govt. school students on cloud nine over their visit to Russia

50 govt. school students, 12 teachers, and A. Sivathanu Pillai, former CEO of BrahMos Aerospace, embark on a trip to Russia to gain first-hand experience in rocket and space science. Tests, projects, and online classes were conducted to select the students. They will visit Rocket Technology, Petropavalovsk Fort Victory Tower, Ware Exhibition, Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, and interact with cosmonauts. Minister for Environment and Climate Change and former Chief Secretary felicitated the students. Agathiya Rocket Science Programme and P. Thangappan of IRCCI coordinated the programme.

Clad in blue coats and trousers, 50 students of government schools across the State, are overwhelmed with joy as they are ready to visit Russia to have a first-hand experience in rocket and space science. They will be leaving Chennai on Saturday and return on October 7. Twelve teachers are also accompanying them.

They were among the 500 students who attended the online classes on rocket and space science conducted by A. Sivathanu Pillai, former Chief Executive Officer of BrahMos Aerospace and Chief Controller of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), when the country was reeling under the pandemic caused by COVID-19. 

“We regularly conducted tests to filter the talents. The projects submitted by students were also taken into consideration to prepare the final list,” said Mr. Pillai, who would lead the team. In Russia, the students could learn a lot unlike the U.S. where access was limited. “But for the Ukraine war, the students can visit laboratories in Russia. The laboratories are busy because of the war,” he said.

They would visit Rocket Technology and Petropavalovsk Fort Victory Tower, Ware Exhibition, Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre and other places and interact with cosmonauts. “It is just the beginning. Students have the capacity, and it is for the teachers to bring out their talents,” he said.

Siva .V. Meyyanathan, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, said a lot of students from government schools became famous space scientists. Former Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu, who felicitated the students, said the students should be closely monitored as they were capable of reaching great heights. “Everyone is born with talents. Only exposure and opportunity will make them great,” he said.

The entire initiative was coordinated by Agathiya Rocket Science Programme. The visas and travel arrangements are made by P. Thangappan,  Secretary General of Indo Russian Center for Culture and Industries (IRCCI).