Article By: Aaradhana Umesh, Std.9, Porur

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin  recently celebrated nine brilliant space scientists for their fantastic work in India’s space program. In a special event in Chennai on Oct. 2, chief minister announced a cash prize of Rs.25 lakh for each scientist and shared plans for a scholarship program to inspire postgraduate engineering students.
The chief minister felicitated K. Sivan (Former Chairman of ISRO), Mylswamy Annadurai (Former Director), V. Narayanan  (Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre – ISRO), A.  Rajarajan (Director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre), M. Sankaran (Distinguished ISRO Scientist), P. Veeramuthuvel (Chandrayaan-3 Project Director), M. Vanitha (ISRO Scientist), Nigar Shaji (ISRO Scientist) and J. Asir Packiaraj (Director of ISRO-Propulsion Complex).
CM Stalin praised these scientists for their inspiring journeys, mentioning that six of them attended government schools in Tamil Nadu and came from humble backgrounds. He encouraged the state’s young generation to follow their dreams and excel in science. The government has introduced a scholarship program to commemorate a distinguished scientist. This initiative aims to support nine engineering students who previously attended government schools and received financial aid from the government during their undergraduate studies. With a budget of Rs.10 crore, the scholarship program will cover all expenses, such as tuition and accommodation fees, allowing these talented students to pursue their scientific dreams.