Kurukshetra: The Illuminating Lecture Ceremony by the esteemed Goyal Peace Prize Awardee 2021-22, Dr. S. Somanath, Former Chairman of ISRO, was held on 18 February, 2025 in the Faculty Lounge at 08:45 AM. Dr. S. Somanath, Former Chairman ISRO, the keynote speaker of this lecture presented a talk explaining the past, present and future of Space programmes. Dr. S. Somanath spoke about studying micro gravity, artificial genetic mutation, and space related research and the vision of Chandrayaan 4 to go to the moon and take some samples from there and come back to the earth. Dr Somanath mentioned the Venus Orbiter Mission scheduled for launch in March 2028.
Dr Somanath encouraged the students to visit the Department of Space and ISRO in Bangalore and explore the ways in which satellites are being built. Dr Somanath mentioned the programmes undertaken by North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), established as a joint initiative of Department of Space (DOS) and the North Eastern Council (NEC). The Centre helps in augmenting the developmental process by providing the advanced space technology support. Dr Somanath also mentioned PSLV-C60 vehicle to carry a pair of SPADEX satellites into an eastward orbit. Dr Somanath also highlighted the initiative by ISRO having satellite and spatial data of India which is not available even on google maps https://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in/ngmaps?mode=Hybrid#3.05/21.82/71.09.
Dr Somanath informed that Space based inputs offer unique and crucial data during natural disasters viz. flood, cyclone, agricultural drought, landslides, earthquakes and forest fires in near real-time using space and aerial remote sensing based inputs and the lecture also veers around the budding start ups initiatives related to space and companies like SatSure deal with satellite data and create intelligence and analytical data. Vice Chancellor, Prof Som Nath Sachdeva, said that the purpose of national space agency of India, ISRO is the pursuit of all space-based applications such as research, reconnaissance, and communications.
It's a matter of honour for Kurukshetra University to have the former Chairman of ISRO to educate the students about space programmes. Dr Anita Bhatnagar, Convener, Goyal Prize Committee gave an outline of the objectives of the Goyal Prize. Dr S P Singh Co Chairman Goyal Prize Organizing Committee thanked the keynote speaker and the university for the seamless organisation of the ceremony. Dean Academic Affairs, Prof Dinesh Kumar, Dean of Sciences, Prof Sanjiv Arora, Director PRO Prof MahaSingh Punia were present.