SARA Student Grant Awarded

The SARA student grant committee comprised of Kerry Smith, Jim Brown and Bill Lord, announces the first grant of this fiscal year awarded to two sisters in India. Adityaa Divyadarshan Purohit and Riddhi Divyadarsha Purohit applied for the student grant to receive a Radio Jove system. They plan to enter their project in a science fair in January. Upon completion, they will share the unit with a group of more than 50 students who have an interest in astronomy. According to Adityaa and Riddhi this will be the first Radio Jove in their state of Gujarat.
The young ladies have the support of their father Divyadarshan Purohit who is a cosmologist working with a planetarium. The local ham radio experts including Mr. Raju Sheth who is an E & C engineer and has a business of radio communication has given the family assurance to assist in building, maintaining and regular checking of the antenna.

Adityaa with Riddhi next to grandfather Dineshchandra Purohit (Retired Indian Govt.Officer & well known priest of Gayatri) & last at left side mother, Hemangini.

The girl’s parents, Divydarshan and Hemangini Purohit

The Radio Jove has been ordered and will be sent to Adityaa and Riddhi within the month. Bill and Melinda Lord are SARA mentors working with the young ladies communicating by e-mail.

Additional information about these students will be published in the next issue of the SARA Journal. Watch for progress reports on their project in future issues of the Journal. Members are asked to encourage students to apply for a grant to explore and learn about radio astronomy. For the grant application go to here