An Indian contingent comprising Nitesh Singh of Mumbai, Aniruddha Bapat (Pune), Chirag Modi (Indore), Shantanu Agarwal (Patna) and Kottur Satwik (Hyderabad) — all higher secondary students — earned India first place in the medals tally (three gold, two bronze) at the 4th International Olympiad for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) staged at the Beijing National Planetarium in the administrative capital of China. Hosted by the ministry of education of the People’s Republic of China, the eight-day event (September 12-21) attracted 24 teams from 22 countries including Iran, Korea, Brazil, Greece, Poland, Russia, and Thailand. The host country was placed third with one gold and two silver medals.
IOAA is an annual competition for higher secondary students, initiated in 2007 by the government of Thailand and organised every year by the ministry of education or other appropriate instit-ution of the participant host nation. Divided into two constituents, a theoretical exam tests participants on basic astrophysics concepts such as the solar system and space technology. In the practical exam, students’ analysis of data observed through the naked eye and instruments, is tested.
To wear the India colours at the 4th IOAA in Beijing, a five-member team had to be chosen from among 10,000 aspirants in 1,000 schools countrywide who had to clear three rounds of tests organised by the Mumbai-based Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE, estb. 1974) and the Indian Association of Physics Teachers. From among the 35 finalists, five were selected for an eight-day intensive training programme at HBCSE, before leaving for the government-sponsored trip to the 4th IOAA. Accompanying them were team leader Aniket Sule, academic coordinator of astronomy olympiads and a faculty member at HBCSE, and Prof. H.C. Pradhan, director HBCSE.
Comments Nitesh Singh who was adjudged best performer in the theoretical round: “It feels great to be ranked first among 24 international teams, since we were competing with the brightest minds. I reckon the decisive factor was our almost year-long preparation for IOAA.”
On the other hand, Sule believes the rigorous selection process is the secret of this country’s excellent track record at successive olympiads. “The selection process for IOAA 2011, which will be held in Poland, has already begun on November 28. That’s why we best even countries like China which are ahead of us in science and technology,” says Sule.
Way to go!
Swati Roy (Mumbai)
Jodi Sagorin
Currently a volunteer with Drishtee Foundation, a Noida-based NGO (estb. 1993) working to facilitate development though information technology, Jodi Sagorin (19) from Irvine, Kansas (USA), passed up an opportunity to study at New York University this autumn to work with Drishtee.
“The assignment with Drishtee exactly matches my current needs. Although it was a difficult decision to choose between university with a wonderful study abroad chance, and doing volun-tary work in India, I guess it was just meant to be,” says Jodi, a cheerful teenager who describes herself as a “student, adventurer and life enthusiast”.
After shortlisting a host of NGOs offering volunteer opportunities, Jodi contacted the Ashoka Foundation in India which in turn put her in touch with Drishtee. “At Drishtee, I’ll start by helping to set up programmes for distri-bution of women’s products with a focus on education and accessibility. I’m really excited and know that I’ll learn a lot from this kind of exposure,” she says.
“Though it’s always easier to tread the familiar path into adulthood, after the initial shock, my parents wholeheartedly supported my decision. They always stressed the importance of doing something meaningful and are both amazing role models,” she says of her parents Mike and Debbie. To finance her mission in India, Jodi raised $3,500 (Rs.157,500) from volunteers who read about her plans on her blog titled ‘If You Never Did, You Should’.
“I chose to work with Drishtee because of the excellent work the foundation is doing by utilising new ICT technologies to lift poor and backward communities out of poverty and ignor-ance. The foundation’s initiatives in the fields of research and development, micro-finance, nurturing entrepreneur-ship and vocational training are transforming entire communities and also offer valuable opportunities for social entrepreneurship education,” says Jodi.
When she returns to the US, she intends to study international relations and business economics at the Orange Coast College from where she graduated with straight As, and was vice-president of several clubs on campus including the International Business Club. “At this point my quest is for career options which will enable me to contribute in a meaningful way to make the world a better place.”
She is already set on the path.
Vidya Pandit (Lucknow)