The five-day expo will provide first-hand information about various activities of the leading research and development institutions in India.

While inaugurating the expo, Dr Barma said, “This is an opportunity for research institutions to come face-to-face with the public, especially students, to create awareness about their research programmes, to show them how scientists think and also to encourage students to take up science research.”

At the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) counter, Ravi Shankar of the public awareness division of DAE explained students about the functioning of nuclear reactor with the help of a mini reactor model. He also elaborated on the varied applications of nuclear energy in agriculture, medicine, electricity generation and astronomy. Students at the IITB counter got to view a 3D map of the IITB campus at Powai. A professor of IITB answered queries on the functioning of GPS systems.

BR Guruprasad, public relations officer of ISRO, said, “India has made significant achievements in space research, but it is important for people to know what Indians have actually done in this field and how it has affected the life of the common people in India.”

Also, on the first day of the exhibition, there were panels informing students about educational opportunities in specific fields of science research.

“The Science Expo is a platform for common people to gain knowledge about science and its applications,” said A S Manekar, director of the Nehru Science Centre.