Igniting Minds: DIY Science Revolution At A NMC School
This is the Young Kalam Discovery Science Centre, a vibrant space where learning becomes an experience, not a lecture.
Launched by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in partnership with the HCL Foundation and the Social Economic Development Trust (SEDT), the centre is designed to spark scientific thinking among students of Classes 5 to 10 studying in NMC-run schools. The goal is to cultivate a generation of thinkers, creators, and innovators who engage with science not as a subject, but as a tool to understand the world.
"This centre allows students to experience science," explains additional municipal commissioner Vaishnavi B. "They don't just hear about Newton's Laws or DNA structures — they see them in action and understand how it applies to real life."
The process begins with a 30-mark objective test to evaluate students' existing knowledge, followed by immersive experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy.
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The initiative enjoys strong backing from municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari. During a recent visit to the centre, Chaudhari expressed his appreciation for the initiative's ability to transform dry classroom theory into exciting learning journeys. "It's about building scientific temper, as envisioned by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam," Chaudhari said.
The science centre's journey began in 2017, when NMC and HCL Foundation first collaborated to introduce interactive science education tools for municipal school students.
Initially based in Lalganj, the centre was shifted to Barrister Sheshrao Wankhede Vidyaniketan in Ramdaspeth in 2019. Three classrooms were redesigned into full-fledged science laboratories. The materials and experimental kits used at the centre were sourced from HCL Foundation's hub in Kerwadi, Parbhani, known for its pioneering work in rural science education.
The centre's team of facilitators, including Nikhil Lakshane and Kalidas Nakade, bring science alive through engaging, demonstrative teaching.
Each session is carefully curated to align with the school curriculum while going far beyond textbook explanations. Students handle solar energy models, DNA helix kits, Newton's colour wheel, water harvesting systems, and even soil-type samplers.
"Hands-on learning brings clarity," says Lakshane, adding: "Students who were once unsure about basic principles now articulate them confidently." After going through the experiments, students take another test, and the improvement in scores often surprises both students and teachers.
Beyond the curriculum, the centre nurtures creative scientific expression. Students are encouraged to design and present their own models at science festivals. Many have gone on to win Inspire Awards, a national initiative recognising innovative projects built by young minds.
The three laboratories are filled with vibrant, tactile teaching tools, from a model of the Tower of Pisa demonstrating centre of gravity to interactive games explaining solar and lunar eclipses.
Students explore human anatomy, illusions, wind turbines, and more — all designed to make complex ideas accessible and exciting.
"Children remember what they enjoy," says Sadhana Sayam, NMC's education officer. "These labs not only build knowledge but also foster imagination and problem-solving. They leave children wondering, exploring, and dreaming bigger," she adds.
As India seeks to strengthen its future in science and innovation, initiatives like the Young Kalam Discovery Science Centre are quietly, yet powerfully, laying the foundation — one experiment at a time.
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