YUva VIgyani KAryakram (YUVIKA), or the "Young Scientist Programme," is a special two-week residential summer programme organised by ISRO to introduce school students to space science, technology, and applications. On May 15, 2026, IIST had the honour of welcoming the bright young participants and the officiating team of the YUVIKA team.
Prof. Kuruvilla Joseph, Pro-Vice Chancellor of IIST, extended a warm welcome to the delegation. In his opening address, he emphasised the importance of nurturing young scientific minds. He briefed the students on IIST's academic and research programmes, facilities, and opportunities.

An interactive session with Prof. Dipankar Banerjee, Vice Chancellor of IIST, was organised as part of the programme. Students seized the opportunity to ask questions regarding various space programmes, showing a keen interest in solar exploration. Drawing from his expertise as the Working Co-Chair of the Science Working Group for the 'Aditya L1 Mission', Prof. Banerjee eloquently simplified the objectives and complexities behind the 'Aditya-L1 Mission'. He also provided mentorship on career opportunities in the space sector and shared fundamental principles for achieving personal and academic success.

The students were privileged to spend time with legendary aerospace scientist Dr B.N. Suresh, Hon. Chancellor and Founder Director of IIST. Renowned as a pivotal figure in Indian space history, Dr Suresh captivated the session by tracing ISRO's extraordinary evolution from its humble beginnings to its current status as a global space power. He also shared the foundational vision that led to the establishment of IIST as a world-class institute dedicated to space sciences.

In the concluding session, the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and Pro-Vice Chancellor extended their heartfelt best wishes to the students for their future endeavours, marking the end of a multifaceted interaction that successfully bridged youthful curiosity with the future of Indian space exploration.

The library team has arranged a guided tour for students to different laboratories, such as 'Quantum Optical Technology Lab', 'Space Technology Innovation & Characterisation Lab, 'Flight Mechanics Lab', 'Scanning Electron Microscope Lab', 'Adaptive Optics Lab', and 'Geology Lab'. Throughout the tour, faculty members and research scholars provided live demonstrations of cutting-edge equipment and interactive experiments, and cleared students' doubts.