CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu INDIA — If Newton had not wondered why the apple fell down instead of going up we would have never known what gravity was, said S. Bhaskaran, Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education.

Developing curiosity and a “scientific outlook” was very important, he added.

He was speaking at the inaugural of a training program on model rocketry conducted by the Tamil Nadu Science and Technological center, in collaboration with the National Council for Science and Technology Communication here on Monday.

Eminent persons such as John Milton and Beethoven had succeeded in spite of their disabilities, Mr. Bhaskaran said.

Perseverance, hard work and a positive attitude were essential for life. These, combined with a scientific outlook could make every student successful, he added.

The program is being conducted for schoolchildren from the southern States, and aims at teaching children more about space, astronomy and the career opportunities available in these fields.

After hearing about Kalpana Chawla many students became interested in space technology, said P. Iyamperumal, Executive Director of the center.

Such training programs provided children with more information and helped them to make career choices, he added.

Seventy schoolchildren from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka are participating in the five-day program.

Professor E.G. Tulapurkara of Aerospace Engineering Department, IIT, Chennai, said that not many students were taking up science. “We need good people for science and technology too,” he said. Talking about President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s success, he added that a humble background need not deter anyone from pursuing a scientific career.

The program was held for the past two years for students from Chennai. This is the first time it has been extended to include students from other southern States.

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu.