Odisha felicitates 30 aspiring astronomers

Bhubaneswar, Dec 14 (PTI) The Odisha government has felicitated 30 aspiring astronomers, who were at the top positions at a recent talent search, and hoped they would bring laurels to the state and the country in the field of space science, an official statement said.

The top 30 winners of the 19th Tata Steel Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2025 were felicitated by Science and Technology Minister Krushna Chandra Patra at a function organised here by Tata Steel in collaboration with the Bhubaneswar's Pathani Samanta Planetarium, under the Department of Science and Technology, on Saturday.

Patra said the initiative aims to nurture young talent and inspire school children across the state to explore science, astronomy, and space research.

The 30 winners were announced, out of 60 finalists, from across the state. More than 76,700 students participated in the programme this year. Since the inception of the programme in 2007, YATS has reached more than 4.7 lakh students of the state so far, the statement said.

Science and Technology Department Additional Chief Secretary Chithra Arumugam said, "YATS is a vibrant testament to the collaborative spirit between the state government and Tata Steel. This is an opportunity to celebrate the young students who have a natural curiosity and interest in science." PTI AAM AAM ACD