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| From stargazer
to star! |
| A Sanmar son becomes a world astronomy
champion |
| Amar V Chandra, son of V Suresh Chandra, Sanmar-PTI
Filters Limited, was one of the six-member team that won the
championship at the International Astronomy Olympiad, 1999 held
at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj, Republic
of Ukraine, between September 25 and October 2, 1999. A preliminary
examination was conducted by the Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research at various planetaria and science centres in the country
where nearly 3000 students took part. Of these, 1000 students
were selected for a nationwide astronomy Olympiad and from these,
35 were shortlisted and finally six were chosen to represent
India at the Olympiad. As one of the six, he attended the National
Astronomy Olympiad Training camp held at the Nehru Science Centre,
Mumbai during June 14-29, 1999. |
| The team included Varun Bhalerao and Ranchu
Mathew from Pune, Mayank Jha from Bhopal, Amar Chandra from
Bangalore, Punyashloka Biswal from Delhi and Yousuf Fauzan from
Lucknow. The team secured the first position at the Fourth International
Astronomy Olympiad. The competition involved three stages, a
theoretical exam which included mathematics and physics, an
observational test and practicals where raw data from the observatory
had to be interpreted by students. |
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Amar V Chandra
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| Prof Mayank N Vahia of the Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research, Mumbai, who led the team, was elated at the performance
of our students. He said, “The standard of examinations was
unexpectedly high. Yet our students managed to beat the Russians on
their turf.” |
| The final medal tally stood at : two gold (Varun
– Pune and Mayank Jha – Bhopal) 3 silver (Amar Chandra
– Bangalore, Punyashloka Biswal – Delhi, Yousuf Fauzan
– Lucknow) and one bronze (Ranchu Mathew – Pune). The
team is now back home as champions. |
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