All India Childrens Science Festival (AICSF) Dec-28-30, 2018 at Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Organized by
- Thulir Science Centre,
- Tamil Nadu Science Forum and
- Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College, Madurai-4
All India Coordination by
- All India People’s Science Network and
- Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, New Delhi
Supported by
- Vigyan Prasar, DST, New Delhi &
- TNSCST, Govt.of Tamil Nadu, Chennai
A brief Report:
All India Children’s Science Festival, Organized by Thulir Science Centre (TSC), Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF) and Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College (MTN), Madurai-4 with the all India Coordination by All India People’s Science Network (AIPSN) and Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS), New Delhi Supported by Vigyan Prasar (VP), DST, New Delhi & Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology,
(TNSCST) Govt.of Tamil Nadu, Chennai was held from Dec-28 to 30, 2018 at Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
The specialty of the programme was the interaction of Tribal children of other states and local children of Madurai by science and cultural activities to understand the diversity. And also the children of Madurai hosted the children of other state by taking them to their homes during nights for two days to understand the day today lives of the locals.
To conduct this programme a theme paper was prepared and an organizing committee and a festival committee was formed and several meetings were conducted to organize the programme. A special committee is formed to prepare and conduct the science activities with University, College and School teachers. The activities were planned on the theme of “Enjoying Science and Childhood”. The main focus was to make them to observe the science in the home and the backyard thus making them to observe daily
The three day programme included
- An Inaugural session on 28th FN (1/2 day) with the participation of the Thirumathi Amutha, Madurai District Educational Officer, PA to Chief Educational Officer, Dr.S.Chatterjee, President, All India People’s Science Network, and Former Scientist of Indian Institute of Astrophysics, and Dr.Kashinath Chatterjee, Gen. Secretary, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samity attended as Chief guests in the inaugural Session. Dr.Vasudevan, Fortune Pandian Hotels, Dr.A.Santha, former Head, Dept.of Journalism and Communication, MK University, Dr.H.Shakila, Prof.of Biotechnology, MK University and Prof.P.Rajamanickam, Gen. Secretary, AIPSN, A.Amlarajan, Gen.Sec. TNSF, and Dr. Nehru, Principal, MTN College also participated
- Group activities 28th AN 29th FN and 29 AN on Science and Childhood (11/2 day): The group activities were conducted by forming 9 groups with nearly 20 students in each group and were engaged in three sessions of two hours each:
Science in home: Kitchen and Health Science
Science in the Backyard: Trees and Birds
Light and Vision: Principles of Light and Light and Optics
- A cultural and heritage tour on 30th (1/2 day) : this cultural and Heritage tour was flagged off by Additional Divisional Railways Manager on 30th at 9AM in front of the junction. The students and their guides went in six buses to 4 different buses , Yanamalai, Alagar Koil, Keelakkuyilkudi and Gandhi Museum. This half a day heritage and nature tour was organized by which students were exposed to the ancient history, culture and existing habitats in around Madurai.
- And a valedictory session on 30th AN (1/2 day) A souvenir with the drawings of children and multilingual songs on Science released by Madurai SBOA Principal and a special address by Dr.S.Nagarthinam, MK University.
Around 77 tribal and other children (46 Boys +31Girls) from Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka, Kerala and other districts of Tamil Nadu and 79 children (42 Boys +37 Girls ) from Madurai and nearby villages participated Around 19 Teachers and Guides (11 Male +08 Female ) from other states participated and 15 teachers and guides (12 Male +3 Female ) participated. A total of 40 Resource Persons and Activity Educators participated