Indus Valley Times

By Prakash Panigrahi

Berhampur, Aug.15: Debashish Pradhan from Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya, Goli, in Ganjam district, has achieved the rare distinction of being selected among the top 20 winners in the statewide Tata Steel Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2023. As a result, he earned the opportunity to visit the Space Application Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Ahmedabad.

More than 2000 students from Ganjam district and Berhampur had participated in the YATS activation round. In the final selection round, held at Pathani Samanta Planetarium in Bhubaneswar, Debashish secured his spot among the top 20 students out of 60 finalists from across Odisha.

Debashish, the son of Mr. Basanta Pradhan and Mrs. Minati Pradhan, shared his excitement, saying, “I’ve always been passionate about Space Science and Astronomy, which led me to participate in YATS. Visiting ISRO and meeting scientists was a transformative experience that deepened my knowledge and strengthened my resolve to pursue a career in this field. I’m grateful to Tata Steel for organizing such an inspiring event.”

The 17th edition of YATS saw participation from 80,000 students under the theme “The Moon Base – Future Launchpad for Space.” The top 20 winners visited the ISRO facility in Ahmedabad, gaining invaluable first-hand experience in space science.

Since its inception in 2007, YATS has played a crucial role in promoting astronomy and space science, honouring the legacy of Pathani Samanta. Over 17 years, YATS has engaged over 350,000 young science enthusiasts from Odisha, with 200 students earning the opportunity to visit various ISRO facilities.