The IYA, declared by the UN in its 62nd General Assembly meeting on Thursday, aims at generating international interest in the science of astronomy, to celebrate the first astronomical use of a telescope by Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. As many as 93 nations and 14 organisations have signed up to be a part of the IYA, which will focus on making people realise the impact of astronomy and basic sciences in their daily lives and understand how scientific knowledge can contribute to a more equitable and peaceful society.

While the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has been selected as the lead agency for the IYA, the implementing agency is the International Astronomical Union (IAU) headed by Catherine Cesarsky. The national committee of the IAU will be headed by IUCAA scientist T Padmanabhan.

India, which has been declared as a national node, has a strong background in the study of astronomy and astrophysics, with various organisations like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Astronomical Society of India (ASI) promoting scientific exploration and research into the field. However, despite many popularisation programmes, reaching out to the common man becomes difficult given the vastness and the unique socio-linguistic fabric of the country.

Thus in India, the emphasis will be on benefiting the underprivileged sections of the country. “In India we are focusing on bringing the excitement of new astronomical discoveries to students and the general public, especially those living in rural or semi-urban areas. The motivation is to create a scientific astronomical ethos among the people, which will augment our ancient cultural heritage to create a vibrant and modern society,” said Misra, who will coordinate the Indian initiative in the IYA.