GUWAHATI/JALUKBARI, Feb 28 - National Science Day, celebrated all over India on February 28 every year to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir CV Raman on the same day in 1928, was celebrated across the city by various institutions and organisations in a befitting manner. This year�s theme was �Science for people and people for science�.
The Centre for Science and Society, Assam, organised a seminar on the people�s science movement in Assam. Mowsam Hazarika, founder of the Students Science Society, Assam, and former editor of Bigyan Jeuti, delivered the keynote address.
The State wing of the All India People�s Science Network also observed the Day with a function organised in association with Handique Girls� College on the college premises.
At the function presided over by the Network�s State secretary Najibuddin Ahmed, Dr Jaydeep Baruah spoke on this year�s theme. The other speakers included Dr Ajit Talukdar, Dr Tapan Thakuria, Dr Jili Bordoloi and Kamalesh Dasgupta. The function was followed by a magic show performed by students of the Chemistry department of the college under the guidance of Dr Hiranya Choudhury.
Royal Global University (RGU) also celebrated the Day on the RGU premises. The schools of Applied & Pure Sciences, Life Sciences, Bio Sciences and Environmental Sciences organised various events on the occasion.
Prof Alak Kumar Buragohain, chairman of academics at RGU and former Vice Chancellor of Dibrugarh University, spoke on inculcating scientific temper among the masses, and on the importance of teachers in the life of students. He said strong scientific logic along with keen observation and ability to think deeper into problems will lead to progress of any institution as well as the country. He gave an example of how a young Indian scientific mind with mere observation led to the development of a scientific kit to determine pregnancy in cattle, which won the best science model award in a science competition.
Prof Amarjyoti Choudhury, Vice Chancellor of Assam Down Town University, spoke on the life of Raman and his discovery. He urged the students to develop love for science to become inquisitive, productive and for betterment of the human race.
Painting, photography, quiz, extempore, and model-making competitions were also held on the occasion.
Cotton University, in association with the Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC), celebrated the Day at the Sudmersen Hall and the Department of Physics. An inaugural session was followed by a science talk by Assamese science writer and former scientist of CSIR-NEIST Dr Dinesh Chandra Goswami.
ASTEC director Dr Arup Kumar Misra, Cotton University VC Prof Bhabesh Chandra Goswami, Dr Paban Kumar Saharia, Head of the Department of Physics at Cotton University, and facility members of the University attended the programme. Misra enlightened the students with a brilliant speech. Students of Cotton University and from other institutions later took part in article writing, poster and science quiz competitions. Science exhibitions were also organised in many departments of the University.
National Science Day was also observed at the Assam Jatiya Bidyalay, Noonmati. A science exhibition and a State-level competition among students from classes VIII to X in three categories � science experiment, science model and science project � was held where 177 students from 22 schools of Assam took part. Khiradhar Baruah, retired professor of Biswanath College, released the school�s annual science magazine Prabhat. He also donated a few books authored and edited by himself to the school library.
