PIB News Update: The Founder’s Day in the 50th year of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) was celebrated with dignitaries emphasizing the need to maintain the energy and enthusiasm created by its founder Dr. VainuBappu by fusing the new ideas of young people with the wisdom and experience gained over five decades.
“The 50th year is special in the journey of the scientific institute, which was started with the great vision of Dr. VainuBappu. It is now in the phase of reconstructing science and Atmanirbhar Bharat and needs more leaders of that stature. The early energy and enthusiasm of the institution is now enriched with the wisdom and experience gained over five decades. The way to go forward is to maintain on this energy with fusion of best of young people and new ideas,” said DST Secretary Prof. Ashutosh Sharma while inaugurating the IIA-50 year celebrations.
“IIA has done extremely well in producing quality human resources, infrastructure, and providing observational astronomy and deep science and will continue to flourish and scale greater heights with right resources and vision,” he added.
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India celebrated its Founder’s Day on 10th August 2020 through an online program in which the Founder’s Day lecture was delivered by Principal Scientific Advisor Government of India, Professor K. VijayRaghavan.
The institute celebrates the birthday of Dr. Manali KallatVainuBappu, who contributed to the establishment of the modern Indian Institute of Astrophysics, as Founders Day. IIA has stepped into 50 years of existence with this year’s Founder’s Day.
Professor Avinash C. Pandey, Chairman, Governing Council, IIA released ‘DOOT’, the e-magazine put together by the students of the institute and said, “through this magazine, we are providing a platform to students to creatively engage themselves. It will be a manifestation of the creative portrayal of unique concepts in Science to the masses in a simplified manner”.
Director, Prof Annapurni Subramaniam took the audience through the formation and growth of IIA through short messages from previous directors of the institute.