Dr Mylswamy Annadurai Launches Aerospace Education Initiative Global Aerosports in Chennai
School education must shift away from rote learning toward hands-on experimentation, analytical thinking, and innovation to support India's expanding space ambitions, space scientist Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai said in Chennai. Speaking at the launch of Global Aerosports, an aerospace education initiative introduced by TechnoSchool, he highlighted that the nation's aerospace capabilities are now globally recognised, opening significant opportunities for youth.
Dr. Annadurai, known as the 'Moon Man of India' and serving as chairman of the Curriculum Design Committee for School Education under the Tamil Nadu government, emphasised the necessity of pairing skilled human resources with suitable infrastructure. He noted that lifelong learning serves as the foundation of personal growth and national progress, calling for children to receive early exposure to emerging technologies.
Recalling his own early experiences with space through visits to ISRO and NOVAS, Dr. Annadurai remarked that students today have access to opportunities earlier generations could only dream of. He stated that platforms like Global Aerosports can act as a launch pad for youth to explore and innovate. He also advocated making STEM education and artificial intelligence integral parts of the curriculum while blending the experience of elders with the energy of young learners, adding that science is meant for the progress of humanity and the transformation of lives.
Global Aerosports is designed to provide school students with practical training in aeromodelling, rocketry, drone technology, space technology, and astronomy, centering on design, problem-solving, and experimentation. The initiative includes a weekend certificate programme, while a full-term programme is currently being developed in collaboration with the government. The curriculum will also feature career counselling, assessment, and SWOT-based evaluations to assist students in recognising their strengths.
Dr. M.R.K. Menon, founder and chief mentor of Global Aero Sports, stated that aerospace education must reach rural schools to identify and foster talent at an early stage. He advocated for empowering educators through an Aerospace Ambassador Programme.
TechnoSchool chief executive officer and founder Jeba Selvan explained that the initiative intends to transition students from simply reading about science to building, testing, and experiencing it directly, backed by the organisation's two decades of ICT education experience.
