Secretary Gairola Inaugurates
The Sunday Mail
Dehradun. A three-day national workshop on “Stellar and Solar Physics” was inaugurated at the Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences. Deepak Kumar Gairola, Secretary, Sanskrit Education Department, Uttarakhand, inaugurated the workshop. The workshop is being organized in collaboration with Doon University, Dehradun, and is being attended by leading astronomers, teachers, and researchers from across the country.
On this occasion, Mr. Gairola said, “The sky is not the limit for our students, but their laboratory.” He further said, “The study of the universe is inherent in the soul of India’s ancient civilization—where our sages mapped the sky on palm leaves, today our scientists are gazing at the stars through space telescopes. If we combine a scientific approach with our cultural insights, we can create a generation that will bridge the ancient and the modern, the local and the global.”
He described the event as an important initiative towards promoting scientific awareness and astronomy research in Uttarakhand, noting that the state’s youth possess immense talent, which can be further honed through such training programs.
The workshop began with a welcome address by Dr. Shailaja Pant, Principal, Dolphin Institute. Welcoming the participants, she stated that this workshop is an excellent opportunity for young students to understand the depths of space science.
Dr. Ashish Raturi, Convener and Coordinator of the NEP 2020 and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Cell, presented the workshop’s outline and explained that the event is an effort to promote interdisciplinary learning and astronomy awareness in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
Dr. Anupam Bhardwaj, Scientist (IUCAA, Pune) and co-convener of the workshop, delivered the inaugural lecture on “Fundamentals of Solar and Stellar Astrophysics.” He explained that modern observational techniques have now made it possible to understand solar activity and stellar evolution with greater precision.
Dr. Himani Sharma, Head of the Department of Physics, Doon University, emphasized the need to expand astronomy education through collaboration with academic and research institutions.
Guest of Honor, Professor Hemvati Nandan, Head of the Department of Physics, H.N.B. Garhwal University, encouraged students to pursue computational and data-driven research.
Dr. Gyanendra Awasthi, Dean (Academics), and Dr. Shruti Sharma, IQAC Coordinator, Dolphin Institute, were also present on the occasion. They commended this academic initiative and called it inspiring for students.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Professor Varsha Parcha, Dean (Research), Dolphin Institute. She expressed her gratitude to all the guests, speakers, and participants.
On the first day of the workshop, lectures were presented by Dr. Anupam Bhardwaj (IUCAA, Pune), Dr. Saurabh Sharma and Dr. Virendra Yadav (ARIES, Nainital), Dr. Balendra Pratap Singh (UPES, Dehradun), and Dr. Kaushal Sharma (IUCAA Associate). These sessions covered star formation, compact objects, and observational astronomy in detail. In the evening, a night telescope observation session was organized for the participants.
The workshop will run until October 8, 2025, with technical sessions on solar data analysis, stellar structure modeling, and astronomy education and public awareness. This event will not only provide participants with a practical understanding of astronomy but will also instill a new awareness and enthusiasm for science and research in Uttarakhand.
