: Mumbai, August 23, 2025

The Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, today inaugurated an exhibition titled “From Ancient Skies to Modern Horizons: Exhibition on Space Heritage in India”. The exhibition has been designed and developed by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), under the Ministry of Culture and was inaugurated by Astrophysicist (Retd.) Professor M. N. Vahia from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, in the presence of Director of the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, Shri Umesh Kumar Rustagi.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Umesh Kumar Rustagi remarked that the Centre’s mission is to make science inspiring and accessible. He added that the exhibition, by blending heritage with modern technology, seeks to ignite a passion for science and space exploration among young visitors, who represent the future of India’s space programme. Professor Vahia emphasised that India’s journey to the stars began with the deep-rooted astronomical curiosity of its ancestors. He highlighted that the exhibition connects the pioneering contributions of ancient scholars such as Aryabhata, Bhaskara II and the Kerala School of Astronomy to the modern achievements of ISRO, including the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) and the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3.

The exhibition presents India’s scientific heritage through ancient observational tools, luni-solar calendars, cosmological models and then seamlessly transitions to modern developments in the country’s space programme. It showcases milestones such as the first rocket launch from a church in Thumba, the launch of India’s first satellite Aryabhata symbolising national self-reliance and ISRO’s interplanetary triumphs. A key attraction is the meticulously crafted scaled-down model of the Vikram Lander with the Pragyan Rover from Chandrayaan-3, which drew wide attention during the inauguration.

The inaugural programme witnessed enthusiastic participation of school students and visitors, who also saw the release of the exhibition brochure by the dignitaries. To create an engaging and inclusive visitor experience, the exhibition incorporates modern interactive features, including QR code integration for multilingual access to exhibit information and digital flipbooks that allow visitors to virtually explore ancient astronomical texts and manuscripts.

The exhibition “From Ancient Skies to Modern Horizons” is now open to the public at the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai.

***

Edgar Coelho/Parshuram Kor

 

Follow us on social media: @PIBMumbai    /PIBMumbai    /pibmumbai  pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com

(Release ID: 2160141) Visitor Counter : 35