Students acquainted with colour-making process

NAGPUR:

Students

of Std IX coming from varied backgrounds got the first-hand experience of how colours are created and also how crystallization is done at a programme organized by the department of chemistry of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology to encourage them to take interest in the subject and later pursue it at the university level and for higher studies, on Friday.


The three-day Salters’ Chemistry Camp is being conducted by VNIT in association with the regional centre of Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou). It has been sponsored by Royal Society of Chemistry (

RSC

) and Salters’ Institute, UK, to promote practical chemistry among school students.

Over 65 students from 35 schools of Nagpur, Bhandara and other cities participated in the conference that promises to infuse fun in learning and develop long-term interest in chemical sciences. Students of government and aided schools participated in practical activities, chemical demonstrations and lectures full of fun that were delivered in Hindi and Marathi languages for better understanding.

Students learnt how to make green, blue and orange colours while crystallization included purple, red and yellow colours.

Amit Majumdar, former regional director of Atomic Mineral Division at Nagpur, inaugurated the programme while director of VNIT PM Padole presided.

Non-executive chairman of Cipla Limited Yusuf Hamied, a leading Indian philanthropist and pioneer in pharmaceutical industry, has supported the Salters’ Chemistry Camp. It is part of ‘Inspirational chemistry programme’ in India. Hamied has committed Rs8 crore to this five-year programme which includes training school science teachers as well. More than 20 camps were organized in various cities since 2014.

Suresh Umare, head of the chemistry department at VNIT and Chayan Das, assistant professor, along with Bhakti Dhamdhere of Royal Chemistry India Foundation are the programme coordinators. Regional director of Ignou P Sivaswaroop and principal of Saraswati Vidyalaya S Prabhuraman are actively involved in this event.

In his address, Umare expressed happiness over association with RCS and Salters’ Institute for organizing the first chemistry camp being conducted in the city.

He said, “This camp aims to provide a platform to students from rural areas. It is organized to develop interest in chemistry as they get hands-on experience in state-of-the-art chemistry laboratories and a tour of the campus. They will also get to enjoy time in order to socialize with like-minded students.”

Professor John Holman, chairman of Salters’ Institute and past president of Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “Salters’ chemistry camps have been very successful in the UK as a way of creating enthusiasm among young people for future study of the subject.” The Royal Society of Chemistry and Salters’ Institute are pleased to have this opportunity to extend the concept to India, he added.

He also thanked Yusuf Hamied for his generosity in making this programme possible.