Odisha Students Embark on Inspiring Journey to ISRO: A Glimpse into Space Science

Exciting Educational Expedition for Young Astronomers

In Bhubaneswar, thirty talented students from Odisha, who emerged as winners of the Tata Steel Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2025, commenced their educational journey to ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network and the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru on Friday. This initiative, a collaboration between Tata Steel and the Pathani Samanta Planetarium under the state's Science and Technology department, aims to foster scientific curiosity among school students while providing them with hands-on exposure to the realms of space science and technology.

This marks the 18th edition of YATS, which has consistently expanded in both scale and influence. During the flag-off ceremony, Sarvesh Kumar, the Chief of Corporate Communication at Tata Steel, remarked, “For the past 17 years, YATS has served as a launch pad for aspiring scientists. Many previous participants have gone on to pursue advanced studies, some even internationally. This year, with the support of the Government of Odisha, we have increased the number of selected students from 20 to 30. We are thrilled to witness their dreams taking flight. Congratulations to all students – travel safely and enjoy this incredible experience.”

Urmiprava Maharana, the director of the Pathani Samanta Planetarium, welcomed the participants by stating, “We are not merely sending students to ISRO; we are launching their dreams. YATS is a talent competition that attracted over 71,000 entries from across Odisha this year. The 30 chosen students exemplify the brightest young scientific minds. Named after the renowned Odia astronomer Pathani Samanta, this planetarium believes that every student has the potential to become a modern-day Pathani Samanta with the right exposure and encouragement.”

She further expressed gratitude towards Tata Steel for its steadfast commitment to science and education, as well as to the Government of Odisha and ISRO for their support in opening their doors to these students. Chithra Arumugam, the principal secretary of the Science and Technology department and chairperson of the Pathani Samanta Planetarium, also attended the event and extended her best wishes to the students.