Social Welfare students launch SWAEROSAT-1

Hyderabad: Loud cheers reverberated the air at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), ECIL, Hyderabad at the early hours of Friday as the 15-member team of Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions scripted history by launching 'SWAEROSAT-1 in a high altitude balloon around 2.40 am from the TIFR premises. The SWAEROSAT-1 was launched as a symbol of aspiration of millions of marginalised communities in the country. The students' joy knew no bounds as their dream project of sending a near space atmospheric probe successfully into stratosphere became a reality. The SWAEROSAT-1 was designed to study cosmic radiation and ozone layer concentration at various altitudes.

Minister for Welfare Koppula Eshwar congratulated the students for their remarkable scientific endeavour and making the state of Telangana proud.

Dr RS Praveen Kumar, secretary, TSWREIS, who was present at the launch site said, "this is a rare feat in the history of TSWREIS and perhaps for the first time in India, the students of social welfare schools of Telangana launched their tiny payload into the stratosphere. Immensely grateful to the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the minister for welfare Koppula Eshwar for this historic opportunity under the KG-PG Mission'. We are thankful to Dr DK Ojha, Chairperson and B Suneel Kumar, Scientist-in-Charge, TIFR Balloon Facility for this opportunity, Secretary further said. The team members were mentored and trained by Captain Anil Kumar and Sujay Sreedhar of Swaero-Sapiens Automation Solutions, Hyderabad.

The students hail from poor families whose parents work as daily wage labourers, masons, auto drivers, construction workers, vegetable vendors and roadside tea sellers. But, neither their poverty nor their humble family background prevented these child prodigies dreaming of becoming space scientists in future. An elated team member Prasanna Lakshmi, who is studying in Class IX at Social Welfare Residential School Isnapur said, "I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would get an opportunity to design a space atmospheric probe at a very young age. I feel that this is once in a lifetime opportunity and I am fortunate to be a part of the social welfare educational institutions".

Another team member J Divya from Gowlidoddi college said "I was thrilled when I saw our payload taking off majestically without technical glitches. My aim is to become a space scientist and make the Indian nation proud".

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The Hans India