The Guinness Glory

The entry of Vijnana Bharati in the Guinness Book of World Records, for successfully conducting Largest Practical Science Lesson during First India International Science Festival 2015 at IIT Delhi on December 7, symbolises the resurgence of Bharat in the field of Science & Technology.

Vijnana Bharati, the country’s largest science  movement and also an RSS associated organisation dedicated to the promotion of swadeshi science, made the country proud on December 7, 2015 when it created a world record by conducting the largest practical science lesson involving 2,000 students from 40 schools of Delhi and NCR at IIT Delhi. The Herculean feat was videographed in the presence of three independent observers—Special Police Commissioner of Delhi Dharmendra Kumar, Director of Assam State Council for Science and Technology Arup Kumar Mishra and former Vice Chancellor of Mysore University Akhil Ahamed.

The Guinness Book of World Records officially accepted the claim on December 11, 2015. The event was part of India International Science Festival-2015 organised by Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) along with Union Ministry of Science and Technology. Earlier, this record was held by 1,339 students of Belfast, Northern Ireland, conducted at Odyssey Arena in Belfast on February 24, 2015. The event was then conducted by Royal Society of Chemistry in association with the British Council.
The students conducted two Chemistry experiments during the Practical Science Lesson. Wearing white lab coats they streamed into the tent pitched near the Administrative Block of IIT-Delhi. They collected numbered wristbands, displayed them for the camera while entering and took their seats at tables piled with graduated cylinders, tissue paper, gloves, droppers and other equipment. The major feature of the exercise was 'Elephant Tooth Experiment' in which hydrogen peroxide underwent catalytic decomposition in the presence of iodide, resulting in the liberation of a large amount of oxygen and foaming up to resemble a giant toothpaste being squeezed. The other experiment was discolouration of methylene blue by hydrogen peroxide. Huge screens were set up for the students to conduct the practical. Five students each shared a table with equipments and chemicals.
Delighted over the achievement Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani said such festivals should be organised in all the states. “Hopefully, 6-7 months down the line, we would be able to make even a bigger attempt at the world record by assembling 20,000 students at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium of Delhi,” she added.  
Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan inspired the students before the beginning of the fest. “You have the blessings of our Prime Minister who has immense faith in you and the youth of the country. The PM believes that our youth can bring glory to Bharat. They have huge potential to become professionals like engineers, scientists and doctors and create new innovations to mitigate the hardships of the people,” he said.
President of Vijnana Bharati and Chairman of Board of Directors, IIT Delhi Dr Vijay P Bhatkar, Director of IIT Delhi Dr Kshitij Gupta and many other leading scientists of the country were also present on the occasion.
The five day Science Festival from December 4 to 8 also witnessed Young Scientists Meet, Science Technology and Industry Expo, International Science Film Festival, Workshops and Interactions sessions and scientists-students interaction. Showcasing the achievements of Bharatiya scientists and institutions the Festival proved to be the country’s biggest ever Technology and Industrial Expo. Around 10,000 delegates from Bharat and abroad participated in the event. Apart from it about two lakh visitors came. It explored the ways to translate academic research into industrial applications benefiting the common man and encouraged culmination of scientific temperament among youngsters, especially school children.  

-Pramod Kumar