Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, June 27: The First Ladakh Astro Festival kicked off with a grand inaugural ceremony at District Panchayat Resource Centre, Agling, here today. Organized jointly by Tourism Department of Union Territory, Ladakh and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the festival aims to ignite scientific curiosity among youth, encourage careers in space sciences and promote sustainable astro-tourism in the region.
The ceremony was graced by Deputy Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Tsering Angchok, as chief guest, with Deputy Commissioner Leh, Romial Singh Donk and Additional Deputy Commissioner, Gulam Mohd , attending as guests of honour. A special address was delivered by Padma Angmo, AD Tourism and Dorje Angchuk, Engineer-In-Charge, IIA.
The highlight of inaugural session was an engaging expert talk by Dr. V. Girish, Deputy Director, Science Program Office, ISRO, on “Moon – An Enigma and India’s Lunar Missions.” Dr. Girish captivated the audience, especially students from Govt. School Skalzangling, with insights on India’s Chandrayaan missions and upcoming lunar explorations.
Chief guest Tsering Angchok praised the initiative, stressing the need to boost interest in science and astro studies among Ladakhi youth. He emphasized the potential of such festivals to contribute to eco-friendly tourism in the region.
The afternoon session included a public talk by astrophotography Dorje Angchuk, who shared his journey in capturing the cosmos. The day concluded with a mesmerizing stargazing session at the University of Ladakh’s Leh campus in Taru. The festival will continue tomorrow with public talks by prominent scientists and another stargazing session, further enriching Ladakh’s emergence as a hub for astronomical exploration and scientific inspiration.
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