Thanthai Periyar Library and Science Centre taking shape at brisk pace in Coimbatore
The new facility, coming up at an estimated cost of ₹300 crore, will cover 1,98,000 sq. ft. across seven floors on 6.98 acres of the central prison grounds near the Gandhipuram Town Bus Stand. The Public Works Department (PWD) is overseeing the project. Of the total budget, ₹245 crore has been allocated for construction works, ₹50 crore for procuring books and e-books, and ₹5 crore for digital infrastructure.
The foundation for the library was laid by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in November last year.
A senior PWD official stated that close to 30 % of the work is complete and said that the project is on schedule for January 2026. 'In view of the approaching monsoon season, we are planning to complete as much of the structural work as possible and will begin interior works on the finished floors simultaneously,' the official added. Planning for the science centre's installations is under way, including a unique space lift designed to simulate a space shuttle experience. Several other exhibits are also being finalised.
According to the floor-wise plan, the ground floor will accommodate an auditorium alongside part of the science centre. The first floor will expand the science centre facilities further. The second floor is dedicated to a children's library and a section for competitive examination preparation.
The third floor will be designed to serve persons with disabilities and will house the office of the chief librarian. The fourth floor will contain the Tamil literature section and a designated area for visitors to bring and read their own books.
The fifth floor will continue the Tamil literature collection and include an incubation centre aimed at supporting startups and innovation. The sixth floor will store back issues of journals and host an additional incubation centre.
The seventh floor will feature the main science centre exhibits, alongside the English literature section and a digital library, providing a comprehensive resource hub for diverse academic needs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Tarangan to bring the cosmos closer to Pune
Adarsh Shikshan Mandali (ASM) has added another feather to its cap with the inauguration of a planetarium at the Abhinava Vidyalaya English Medium Primary School. Named Dr Nanasaheb Upasani Planetarium, it is the first in India to feature the Digistar 2025 projection system from Evans and Sutherland, USA, the institute has claimed. The project was made possible through the Vidyalakshmi Foundation, a private trust run by the family of noted educationist and first president of ASM, Upasani. A 50-seater, the planetarium promises a fully immersive, 360-degree experience, delivering high-resolution visuals and real-time simulations of astronomical events. (HT PHOTO) The inauguration ceremony, held on April 30 this year, was attended by Arvind Paranjape, director of Mumbai's Nehru Planetarium; Suresh Naik, former group director at ISRO; and several other dignitaries from the fields of academics and science. At a press conference held on Sunday, August 10, ASM member Avinash Pradhan said, 'This is the brainchild of (Nanasaheb) Upasani, a gesture ahead of its time. The planetarium is not just for entertainment. It will enable interactive learning in technology, mathematics, and other STEM subjects. We plan to open it to students from other schools and the public, with ticket bookings available online.' An ASM member said, 'While the primary focus is on Abhinava Vidyalaya students, ASM plans to open the planetarium to the wider community in the coming months. This is a tribute to Upasani's vision of accessible education. It will inspire young minds and bring the mysteries of the cosmos closer to our community.' A 50-seater, the planetarium promises a fully immersive, 360-degree experience, delivering high-resolution visuals and real-time simulations of astronomical events. Installed by Infovision Technologies, the planetarium integrates advanced dome projection technology with content from global space agencies such as ISRO, NASA, and the European Space Agency. The planetarium also supports dome-casting for live events, and allows educators and students to create their own shows. Infovision director Abhijeet Shetye said, 'Our aim is to make this 'Tarangan' an identity of Pune. It will be part of the city's cultural circuit for visitors.' Whereas Paranjape recalled that the 'Tarangan' concept was first introduced in 1999 at the Nehru Planetarium. 'This is now the 65th planetarium, and we are creating shows linked to school syllabi. We have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ISRO to live-stream upcoming missions such as the Chandrayaan within the next month. The shows will be available in Hindi, English, and Marathi,' Paranjape said. ASM member Rajshree Telkar said that astronomy-related sessions have already been integrated into the weekly timetable for classes five to eight, blending topics from biology, mathematics, and physics. An 'Amateur Astronomy Club' has also been set up for sky-gazing sessions and discussions. With the addition of this planetarium, ASM has not only strengthened its own educational infrastructure but also given Pune a new cultural and scientific landmark that promises to inspire future generations to come.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
India to triple satellites its three years: ISRO chairman
Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman said India will increase the number of satellites in orbit three times from the present 56 in three years. Speaking at the 21st convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology, he said 'By 2040, India will match all developed countries in terms of all capabilities of the space programme. In 1963, a tiny rocket was donated by the USA and we launched it. That was the beginning of the Indian space programme. Last week, we launched the NISAR satellite, the costliest satellite ever built in the world. It was placed in orbit precisely by an Indian launcher,' he said. 'In another couple of months, we are going to launch a 6500 kg communication satellite built by the U.S.A. using our own launcher. A country which did not have satellite technology 50 years back, we have launched 433 satellites from 34 countries using our launch vehicle,' he said. Maharashtra Governor stressed the need for contribution in technology innovation by graduates from the country by learning another foreign language other than English, including French and German. 'We cannot manage with English in Germany. We cannot manage with English in France. Learning a language will give you a lot of advantages.' SRM Institute of Science and Technology Founder Chancellor presided over the convocation. Secretary, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, said India will put in place an earthquake early warning system in 2047. He stressed the need for contribution from engineering graduates to explore new horizons in aspects such as weather management and take measures to increase the ocean's contribution to GDP from 4%, doubling the contribution to shipping, energy from the ocean, food from the ocean, water from the ocean, health from the ocean and climate change mitigation in a sustainable manner.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
Law courses top choice for Patna University PG aspirants
Patna: Country's recent advancements in science and technology notwithstanding, the youths of Bihar, it seems, are more interested in pursuing a career in law. At least, the number of applications received for admission to the postgraduate courses of Patna University (PU) in the current academic session (2025-26) indicates so. According to the figures received from PU sources, the LLM and LLB courses have received the maximum number of applications this year. While a total of 2,640 candidates have applied for the admission to 300 seats in LLB course, 379 applications have been received for the admission to 20 seats in LLM. Both these courses are running in Patna Law College premises of PU. The Master of Education (MEd) course running at the PU's department of education seems to be the next most popular professional course as it has attracted altogether 424 candidates. There are only 50 seats in this course. Other popular subjects at the PG level are commerce, zoology, political science, history, computer applications, economics, English, chemistry, mathematics, geography and physics, said PU dean of students' welfare, Anil Kumar. As many as 383 candidates have applied for 200 seats in commerce and 314 applications have been received for 40 seats in M Sc zoology course. The number of applications received for the admission in other popular subjects includes 278 each in political science and history (against 82 and 120 seats respectively), 230 in MCA against 45 seats, 197 each in economics and chemistry (against 140 and 64 seats respectively). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo The number of applications received for the admission in other subjects are 187 in English (70 seats), 170 in mathematics (60 seats), 129 each in physics and psychology ( 50 and 84 seats respectively), 128 in botany (32), 133 in geography (84) and 111 in sociology (100 seats). However, there is very little rush for admission in many other courses, especially of the humanities faculty. The number of applications received in many of these courses is much less than the number of sanctioned seats. For instance, only seven applications have been received against 18 seats in Persian and 10 applications each in Arabic and Bengali against 18 and 20 seats respectively. PU chemistry teacher and PU admission in charge Rajneesh Kumar said admission in all the conventional courses would be made on the basis of marks obtained by candidates in the last qualifying examination. The first merit list of candidates selected for admission is likely to be released on Sunday night or Monday morning and counselling and admission of students figuring in the list would be held in their respective departments from Monday to Wednesday, he said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
