Mohanpur, Dec. 19: A residential “Chemistry camp” for the students of class IX today begins at the Indian Institute of Science Education-Kolkata’s campus in Nadia’s Mohanpur with an objective to develop appreciation and understanding about the subject among the students belong to different background.
The camp titled “Salters’ Chemistry Camps India”, which is being jointly organized the Royal Society of Chemistry India, Salters’ Institute UK, State School Education department and IISER Kolkata, would continue for three days.
The camp would promote appreciation for chemistry by providing the students from diverse backgrounds, an opportunity to explore practical chemistry and inspire them to pursue the subject for their study at university and above level.
Participants at IISER-K campus in Mohanpur
Explaining the objective of the camp IISER-K Director professor Sourav Pal said: “Our endeavor is to reach out to the less privileged but bright young minds of our society who are eager to learn. The important feature of this camp is to teach the scientific concepts through experimentation. This camp will help in developing the scientific temperament among students and provide them opportunity to explore practical chemistry and inspire them to pursue chemistry at graduation and onward level”.
66 class IX students from 18 schools parts of Nadia, North 24Parganas, Kolkata and Hooghly joined the residential Chemistry Camp at the IISER-Kolkata campus that infuses fun in learning chemistry and motivate students to develop both – an awareness and a long-term interest in chemical sciences.
The Camp, part of the “Inspirational Chemistry Programme” project in India, has been supported by Dr. Yusuf Hamied, Non-executive Chairman- Cipla Limited, a leading Indian philanthropist and pioneer in the pharmaceutical industry.
Professor Sir John Holman, chairman, Salters’ Institute and president of the Royal Society of Chemistry said: “The Salters’ Chemistry Camps have been very successful in the UK as a way to ignite interest and enthusiasm among young people for the future study of chemistry”.
Bristi Maity, a class IX student of Begum Rokeya Smriti Balika Vidyalaya of Haringhata, said: “It is great experience for me. I feel lucky to get the opportunity to know enrich my knowledge on chemistry.” Sahad Habib of Jadavpur Vidyapith said: “It is a thrilling experience as I for the first time got opportunity to enter a laboratory”.