BENGALURU: It was 1967. HS Savithri, a teenager, attended a summer
science camp in
Bengaluru. Her siblings were studying engineering and medicine and she was confused about her own future course. The answer popped up at the science camp when she listened to Sir CV Raman. She would pursue pure sciences.
“I had no idea what the camp would be about,” recalls Savithri, now a biochemistry professor at the IISc. “It opened my eyes to science.” Not just that. Savithri won the Excellence in Science award at the 99th Indian Science Congress.
The Summer School in Science turns 50 this year. And it continues to expose Class 10 students to all the reasons for a career in science while keeping its core objective of promoting scientific temper intact. Organised by the
Bangalore Science Forum, founded by Gandhian educationist H Narasimhaiah and headquartered at National College, Basavanagudi, it is Bengaluru’s longest running science camp.
From lectures to field visits,” camp director YC Kamala said. The next 12-day camp, which starts April 24, comprises field visits to the International Institute of Information
Technology (IIITB),
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Maiya’s and Nimhans.
Lectures and experiments are also lined up “to reinforce science for children in the face of software and commerce,” she said. Experts point out that the camp has been running for so many years despite basic science courses losing sheen. “The Bangalore Science Forum is a unique organisation in that it is undeterred by public interest waxing and waning in science,” former IISc director P Balaram said, who taught regularly at the camp in its early years.
At JNCASR, students will get a demonstration of the Raman spectrum by professor Chandrabhas Narayana. He will also talk about why students should look at science as a career. “Children are interested in science but end up choosing engineering or medicine due to parental or peer pressure,” he said. “Have you ever heard a techie talk about work? It’s always about weekends. For scientists, creativity is a daily affair.”
The camp is relevant now more than it ever was, Kamala believes. “Then, superstition existed only in practice. Today, it exists in practice and publicity.” Those interested in enrolling, visit bsfsummerschool.blogspot.in
