Why is National Space Day Celebrated?
National Space Day is a momentous occasion announced by our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to celebrate India's remarkable achievement of becoming the fourth country to land on the moon and the first to reach its southern polar region. It fills us with pride and inspiration, reminding us of the incredible feats our nation has accomplished in space exploration.
To celebrate this auspicious day, on August 6th, 2024, Vapi Public School hosted a Fun and Educational event. It was a day of unity and learning, where Scientists, Principals, Students of Vapi Public School and Teachers and Students of many other schools gathered. This Open-To-All event saw participation from more than 15 schools, all coming together to celebrate and compete in different competitions. The day was filled with enthusiasm and learning, with competitions like drawing and painting, essay writing, story writing, poetry writing and quiz competitions, followed by some engaging activities.
National Space Day Celebration at VPS.
The event started with a lighting lamp ceremony. Along with guests, our senior director, Principal Dr Alpa Kotadia Madam, was on the stage to light the lamp to invoke divine blessing. A Prayer from our musical choir group followed this. Our honorable guests were then presented with mementos, after which the esteemed ISRO scientists, Mr Jayaparasad P and Mr Kailash Kumar Jha, awarded Dr Alpa Kotadia Madam and Principals from various schools a gratitude gift for hosting and participating in the National Space Day celebration. After distributing mementos, the Senior Director Principal of Vapi Public School, Dr Alpa Kotadia, delivered an encouraging and introductory speech while welcoming all the students and teachers who traveled to celebrate and participate in this auspicious day.
As the event began, we were allowed to listen to Mr Jayaparasad P, an honorable scientist from Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Ahmedabad. His insightful explanation of how to join ISRO and start a career as a scientist, delivered through a fun speech and a PowerPoint presentation, let us all not just be inspired but also deeply motivated. We gained a deeper understanding of the immense efforts our brave scientists put into making a single mission successful. With excitement for the rest of the day, we were given a short 10-minute break, during which we were offered tasty muffins and banana chips for our appetite by the school. As the break ended, it was time for what almost everybody eagerly awaited - the competitions. As mentioned, many types of competitions were organized, like drawing and painting, essay writing, story writing, poetry writing and quiz competitions.
As the competitions started, every participant was assigned a class for each competition. Everyone worked hard at the competitions and students of classes VI to VIII participated in a rocket-making activity where they learned to build rocket models from cardboard cutouts. As the competitions went on, the student cabinet members of Vapi Public School did their best to maintain balance at the event. This event would not have been as smooth without their hard work and dedication.
After an hour, the competitions ended and it was time for a short lunch break, during which the school provided tasty food for every student and teacher.
After the break, we were honored to take a class in photography with the Scientists. We would preserve it as a core memory for the experience and knowledge they gave us that day.
Finally, it was time to attend a fun and knowledgeable lecture by Mr Kailash Kumar Jha, an ISRO scientist who briefly explained the mission of Chandrayaan-3, from how it was planned and executed to how they successfully landed on the moon's southern pole. At the end of this knowledgeable experience, it was time to announce the winners of the competitions. Here I would like to state a statement from our Senior Director Principal, Dr Alpa Kotadia Madam, who said, "Win or Lose, it does not matter. The only thing that matters is the participation of students and them stepping out of their comfort zone to portray their skills in front of everybody.” With the prizes distributed, I am proud that Vapi Public School won over five awards at the event. All the students who even participated made us proud that day and with this, it was not just the end of a fantastic day but also an unforgettable experience.
This event was even live-streamed on YouTube for free, so parents and students who could not join us could watch it online.
Finally, I thank my school, Vapi Public School (CISCE), the respected senior director and principal, and all who worked hard on this beautiful day. My fellow schoolmates and I never expected to experience something like this. With the knowledge, a brief speech on space missions and a wonderful day, I could say that this was a perfect way to celebrate National Space Day and I hope this continues every year.
Rudra Naik
XII Science
