World of science

In a jiffy,more than 20 models are doled out from this mobile laboratory,like the endless number of objects coming out of a magician’s hat. These are neatly arranged on foldable steel tables. The anticipation and the whispers rise as the group of students start inching closer to the tables. The man finally breaks the silence and introduces himself as Avinash Kamble,a local instructor with the Agastya Foundation,which has been imparting practical science knowledge to rural and urban poor children for the past nine years.

Kamble asks them,“Konta taara sarvaat mothaa?” (Which is the biggest star?) and pat comes the reply: “Surya!” (Sun). Kamble turns a knob on the solar system model in a circular motion as the plastic globe revolves around the bright yellow bulb that represents the sun. “Which was the planet that was recently excluded from our solar system?” he asks. A few bright ones reply,“Pluto”. When asked why this was done,however,no one has an answer.

Similarly,when Kamble asks how many days it takes for the earth to revolve around the sun,the kids reply “365”. But when 13-year-old Nikita Sawant is asked how many trips she has made around the sun,she fumbles for a while before she is prompted by her science teacher to say “13”.

K Thiagrajan,operations head of the foundation,said the programme aims at converting ‘yes’ into ‘why’. “Owing to the present system of rote-learning,children fail to question what they are taught. Through practical experiments where they can touch and feel instead of merely reading a textbook,we try to spark creativity and curiosity in their minds,” he said. He is an IIT and IIM alumnus who retired from the corporate sector to join the foundation. “There are quite a few bright minds,including those from IITs,IIMs,scientists and doctors who are working for the foundation,” he said.

The foundation,which was founded by Ramji Raghavan,has 60 mobile labs going to remote parts of the country. Each van has around 200 different experiments ranging from physics,biology and chemistry to astronomy. Since 2002,about 30 lakh children have attended these science fairs in Karnataka,Andhra Pradesh,Rajasthan,Gujarat,Bihar,Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. “We conduct science fairs in every school over a period of few days,during which we not only teach children but also train teachers. We ask teachers to encourage students to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ rather than merely nodding their heads to what the teachers say,” said Kamble.

The group has acquired permission from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to conduct the programme in its 150 schools. A science fair will be organised for three days this month for around 40,000 children staying in Dharavi.