Guwahati: More than 600 astronomers, researchers, students, and science communicators from across India and abroad convened at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G), on Saturday for a five-day conference. The event marks the inauguration of the 44th Astronomical Society of India (ASI) annual meeting, which aims to boost astronomy research and scientific collaboration in the northeast while encouraging students and the public to engage more deeply with astronomy and space science.
Return to the Northeast After Three Decades
This is a significant occasion for IIT-G and the region's scientific community, as the ASI annual meeting returns to the northeast after 30 years. The last time the conference was held in the region was at Gauhati University in 1996.
Inaugural Ceremony Highlights
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Prof. Devendra Ojha, president of the Astronomical Society of India, and Prof. Devendra Jalihal, director of IIT-G. The event featured ASI awards recognizing outstanding contributions to astronomy and astrophysics. The ASI Zubin Kembhavi Award was presented to the team behind the GROWTH-India telescope in Hanle, Ladakh. Girish Kulkarni of TIFR received the Laxminarayana and Nagalaxmi Modali Award, while Prateek Mayank was honored with the Justice Oak Award for Outstanding Thesis in astronomy.
Inspiring Young Minds
Prof. Jalihal emphasized that such gatherings play a crucial role in inspiring young minds, particularly in the northeast, to connect with the wonders of STEM and innovation. Prof. Ojha stated, "Through this conference, we aim to create new avenues for young researchers to engage in meaningful scientific discoveries and foster collaborative research efforts."
Conference Program
The five-day conference will feature more than 140 scientific talks and 355 poster presentations across a wide range of themes, providing a platform for knowledge exchange and networking among participants.
