New Delhi: A mega event to sensitise science educators and students about the struggles and satyagrahas by the scientific fraternity in the pre-Independence era has been scheduled on November 17 and 18 as part of the govenment's 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'.
      
'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' is an initiative of the Central government to celebrate 75 years of India's Independence.
    
Heads of several educational institutes got together in a hybrid mode to remember the unsung heroes of science in the freedom movement at a curtain raiser event on August 25-26 held by VigyanPrasar -- an institute of the Department of Science and Technology -- CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), and VijnanaBharati (VIBHA).
    
The year-long science celebration will witness interactions at different levels through exhibitions, conferences, competitions, VigyanYatras and presentations.
    
"National-level mega conferences of science educators will be held on November 17-18 for convergence and dissemination of information on science to the grassroots level through school students," a statement said.
    
National Organising Secretary of VIBHA Jayant Sahasrabudhe said, "We should not only limit our celebrations to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their life for Independence, but we need to remember the vision of those great scientists who stood for their scientific thinking even during the adverse situations."
    
He referred to the first satyagraha by Jagdish Chandra Bose, who returned from the UK after higher studies and took to teaching in India, but protested against the Britishers by not taking a reduced salary for three years.
    
Bose had set up his own physical lab and was the first to talk about microwaves, he added.