THE GOAN NETWORK
BIHOLIM
Vijaykumar C Verenkar, a retired assistant headmaster from Sanquelim, has been selected for the National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Science and Technology Popularisation among Children (Category C) for the year 2021.
The award consists of a cash prize, memento and a citation to be conferred during an award distribution function as a part of National Science Day celebration at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on February 28.
Verenkar was nominated for this award by the Directorate of Science Technology and Waste Management.
Verenkar has been popularising science through his concept of school bag laboratory which is a 3-hour demo of 50 simple science experiments.
“This programme called ‘Chhota Scientist’ has been presented in over 500 high schools and higher secondary schools in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka. This programme is aimed to inculcate scientific awareness, scientific temper, curiosity, inquisitiveness, spirit of enquiry among the children,” said Verenkar.
Verenkar has also published a book ‘Chhota Scientist’, which has been translated into Marathi, Konkani, Gujarati and Hindi by Vidhya Bharati.
All experiments demonstrated are with the help of household materials with almost zero cost and children can perform these experiments at home at no cost, he said.
“In the last five years (excluding Covid-19 years), I have provided demonstrations in over 300 high schools in Goa with the collaboration of DST and Vidnyan Vardhini Goa. I have been inspired and supported by Dilip Betkikar of Vidhya Bharati, Prof. Gopal Kelkar of IAPT, the director of DST and Vidnyan Vardhini.
Verenkar has been a recipient of a number of awards in the past including the State Youth Award from then chief minister Pratapsing Rane in 1987, Air India BOLT AWARD (Broad Outlook Learner Teacher Award) from then governor S C Jamir in 2004 and the National teacher Award from then president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in 2005.
