---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Shiva Shankar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: May 20, 2008 11:41 AM Subject: Dalit boy touches the stars
Dalit boy touches the stars http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Pune_Dalit_boy_invited_to_NASA/articleshow/3041392.cms 15 May 2008, 0435 hrs IST,Radheshyam Jadhav,TNN TIRAVADE/KOLHAPUR: An insolent society would not permit him and his ancestors basic human contact, keeping him in a ghetto outside his village in Kolhapur district for centuries. Fortunately, celestial wonders are devoid of such bias, allowing Dalit boy Shridhar Kamble to have his head in the stars, literally. Impressed by 17-year-old Shridhar's theory of galaxy evolution, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invited the farm labourer's son into their fold as a junior scientist. "It's a proud moment for all of us. We feel like touching the stars ourselves," say people from the Dalit basti in the dusty Tiravade village as people from neighbouring villages and the media make a beeline to visit Shridhar's tiny mud house. Shridhar, who has appeared for the HSC exams, took part in a research competition where he submitted a summary paper on galaxy evolution called 'Huge black holes stifle star formation'. This won him a $10,000 scholarship. The doors of Colorado University have also opened for Shridhar to join their Bachelor of Science (Astronomy) course. He will be joining the course in August 2008. "I always believed that education alone would open the doors of opportunities," says Shridhar's mother Kanchan. "Shridhar was always a bright child and we put in all efforts to give him an education. Today, our efforts have paid off." In fact, Shridhar had won the young scientist award from the Bhabha Research Institute when in the eighth standard. Since then, astronomy has been his passion. But the US sojourn will come at a price. "I have to bear the cost of education for the first two years," says Shridhar. "For the third year, NASA will give me a scholarship. For the visa, I need a bank statement showing $45,000 in my parents' account or in the account of a sponsor. We have sold or mortgaged all our belongings as of now." --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
