PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, August 22: Tata Steel today launched the 19th edition of the Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) in Odisha.
The 2025 edition will carry the theme “Stargazer Today, Gagannaut Tomorrow”, aligning with India’s ambitious Gaganyaan project that marks the country’s leap into human spaceflight.
Speaking on the occasion, Debasish Jena highlighted Tata Steel’s resolve to make YATS more inclusive and accessible for students across the state by offering both physical and virtual participation formats. “Our aim is to inspire young minds and deepen their interest in space science,” he said.
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Students can participate either through their schools or online by registering on the YATS portal https://www.bit.ly/YATS2025.
The programme includes an open quiz for students of Classes 6–8 and a multiple-choice test for Classes 9–10. District-level winners will compete in the grand finale at the Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar, on December 13 this year.
The event will also commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahamahopadhyaya Pandita Samanta Chandrasekhara Singha Harichandana Mahapatra, popularly known as Pathani Samanta.
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For nearly two decades, YATS has been kindling curiosity among Odisha’s schoolchildren about the universe. In its 18th edition, winners had the rare opportunity to visit premier Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facilities, including the Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) and the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru.
Since its inception, YATS has reached more than 4.71 lakh students across Odisha, with 230 winners experiencing firsthand India’s growing capabilities in space research.