BENGALURU: The resplendent terrarium at the entrance teems with life. Ornamental fish glide through water, weaving between roots of plants that rise to form a miniature island, as little snails bask amid the foliage. This sealed ecosystem thrives, oblivious to the world outside — a fitting welcome to Param Foundation’s office in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, where science is not just being preserved, but reimagined and reoriented.
Established in 2021, Param Foundation is on a mission to transform how India learns, remembers and creates, inspiring curiosity about science, Indian history and culture across all age groups. Its initiatives encourage learning through hands-on experience and foster a spirit of innovation and exploration.
“Param began with the understanding that the education system is fractured. There’s a wide gap between academia and industry. Our motto — inspire, nurture and empower — aims to bridge that divide,” says Shammi Raj Balla, Head of Revenue and Strategy at Param Foundation. Their solution? Immersive, interactive experiences that place the learner at the heart of scientific discovery.
The first milestone in this journey came when the Param Science Experience Centre (Parsec) was launched in Jayanagar on January 19, 2024. Spanning 5,000sqft with seven galleries and 80 exhibits, the centre has welcomed over 75,000 visitors in just 18 months. “Parsec Jayanagar has become a vibrant hub for all ages, inspiring curiosity and creativity,” the foundation shares.
Param’s science experience centres serve as the first touchpoints in its ecosystem. Each exhibit is meticulously designed by a team of experts to engage diverse audiences, including schoolchildren, university students, professionals and curious enthusiasts, making science accessible and engaging for all.
“We follow a layered approach,” Balla explains, adding, “Take ‘Gravitation’ as an example. For children, we explain Newton’s apple story. For engineering students, we go deeper into gravitational forces and the Moon’s effect on Earth. Our facilitators tailor the experience based on the visitor’s level of understanding — a method used in top museums worldwide.”
Each gallery is dynamic and continuously updated. With over 100 carpentry and 70 metal fabrication projects, Param Workshops form the creative engine behind these ever-evolving exhibits. The organisation actively collaborates with institutions to ensure exhibits stay relevant, fascinating and educational.
Where history comes alive
Building on its momentum, Param is expanding rapidly. A second, much larger Parsec centre is set to open in Whitefield, Bengaluru, next month. Spread over 30,000sqft with 15 galleries and 140 exhibits, it will include a maker-space to support hands-on learning. A smaller 700sqft centre is also being planned in Delhi, with Chennai to follow in 2026.
But the most ambitious project is the Param Flagship Experience Centre, coming up on a 15-acre campus in Chanenahalli, off Magadi Road, in Bengaluru. Scheduled to launch in 2026, this sprawling 12.96 lakh sqft campus will become India’s largest transdisciplinary hub. It will house cutting-edge labs for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) learning and rapid prototyping, with exhibits covering robotics, AI/ML, and other emerging fields.
“It’s not just about science,” says Balla. “We’re also producing cultural performances under the brand ‘Parampara’. These productions will travel across India and abroad.”
The History Heritage Centre at the flagship site will showcase India’s rich past in engaging formats — using holograms, interactive kiosks, 3D installations and dioramas. “History can be playful, immersive and insightful. From ancient marketplaces to the Freedom Struggle, each year we’ll spotlight a different story,” Balla shares. Artists, storytellers and historians collaborate with researchers to make the past come alive for a contemporary audience.
Inventing for the future
Beyond experience centres, Param offers maker-spaces, training programmes and innovation labs. “This is a journey. Visitors come to Parsec, get inspired, then enter our maker-spaces for long-term learning. If they show promise, they can enter our innovation labs. If they want to build something market-ready, we connect them with our VC ecosystem. It’s all about ‘Invent in India’,” reflects Balla.
The upcoming Whitefield Parsec will feature a maker-space, while the flagship centre will include a 40,000sqft innovation and incubation centre to nurture budding inventors and startups.
To make these spaces accessible, Param charges an entry fee but also invites schools — particularly government institutions — to bring students. Some exhibits even travel to schools for the disabled. “We’re keen on reaching under-resourced communities. These children are incredibly bright, but lack exposure. We want to change that,” Balla affirms.
Through collaborations with over 30 institutions globally, Param also runs a membership programme that encourages student exchange and interdisciplinary learning.
With a stellar advisory board led by former ISRO chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan, Param is setting its sights on going global.
“All of these initiatives have helped us seed the building of an ecosystem through collaborations and partnerships with over 30 institutions across disciplines not just in India, but across the globe... We will soon be launching new programmes for building capacity and support budding teachers, aspiring scientists, creative artists, storytellers and young minds to STEAM their future paths ahead in this new, evolving AI world,” Dr Radhakrishnan notes.
As the terrarium thrives — a world in itself, self-sustained and full of wonder — so does Param Foundation, nurturing India’s next generation of thinkers, tinkerers and trailblazers.