Kalahandi (Nilesh Kumar Nag): Puppetry has played an important role in disseminating knowledge in most parts of the country. Puppetry imbibes elements of all communication and art forms such as literate, painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama and enables students to develop their creative abilities for presentation of science and technology. It is a dynamic art form that appeals to all age groups, this medium of communication has been selected to serve as an aid to communicate science and technology in Indian masses. Puppetry is a cost effective medium and can be used to communicate science, being a traditional means of entertainment, it is mainly confined to semi-urban areas and villages, but as it involves the audience in active dialogue, so it can be a powerful mode of science communication.
In order to achieving the above objectives SAMANTA CHANDRASEKHAR VIGYAN CLUB (SCVC), a registered science based voluntary organisation from Santaragadia, Balasore, organising a five days Resource Persons Development Training Workshop on Science and Technology through Puppetry in collaboration with National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India at at Govt Girl’s High School, Kesinga, Kalahandi from 09-13 November 2022. The main objectives of the training workshop was to develop science communicators and science activists through traditional and novel methods of training and equip them with an additional technique of science and technology communication through puppetry.
Kalahandi District Education Officer Mr. Sushant Kumar Chopdar, OES-I (ST) inaugurated the training workshop where 42 participants were participated from different blocks of Kalahandi. In his opening remarks he elaborated that this training workshop will encourage participants to improvise inexpensive teaching aids and to make creative activities for students an integral part of class room teaching.
Kesinga Block Education Officer Mr. Babrubahan Pradhan, OES(I) joined as the guest of honour. He explained that puppetry can be introduce as a low cost aid for science communication. Headmaster of Govt. Girl’s High School, Kesinga and science communicator Mr. Sameer Kumar Behera and Mr. Santosh Kumar Kar, Senior Science Teacher & Eminent Science Communicator of Odisha were among two other guests of honour, whose contribution towards science communication in our state is uncountable.
Mr. Basanta Kumar Sahu a well known puppetry expert from Boudh district and national awardee teacher was the Master Resource Person of the training workshop. Mr. Ajoy Kumar Panda & Mr. Shivanarayan Bhatt from Puri were the two other resource persons for the workshop, all were trained from CCRT, GoI, New Delhi. The training workshop will run till 13 November 2022.
