KOCHI: India’s first astronaut Rakesh Sharma was honoured with the Biennial Vikram Sarabhai Vigyan Puraskar at a function held at Pragati Academy at Perumbavoor. Governor Rajendra Arlekar, after honouring the awardee, spoke about the importance of scientific progress in human uplift. He also launched the Vikram Sarabhai Vigyan Scholarship.
The governor said that education should not merely produce job seekers, but must also nurture job creators who contribute to national development. “Getting a job is easy, but creating jobs for others makes one a true contributor to the nation’s growth,” he added.
He pointed out how, when several parts of the world are affected by conflicts, India remains safe due to its strong cultural values and traditions. The governor echoed the vision of Vikram Sarabhai. He reminded the audience that behind every step that the nation takes towards development are countless engineers and scientists whose contributions must always be remembered.
A significant highlight of the event was the launch of the Vikram Sarabhai Vigyan Scholarship by the governor. This initiative aims to provide free education and financial support to science-enthusiastic students at the school level, thereby promoting scientific learning at the grassroots. The scholarship envisions continuous training and guidance to help students gain clarity in their goals and achieve their aspirations.
This scholarship programme stands out as a novel and impactful initiative of the Vikram Sarabhai Science Foundation, reinforcing its commitment to nurturing future scientists and innovators. Rakesh Sharma interacted with students and shared his experiences from his space mission, motivating young minds to pursue careers in science and exploration.