The Malaysian Winner of The Telescope for All 2021 project, Vadivelan Sinnasamy!
By: Naraesh Pillai Ravindran
Kuala Lumpur 23 July 2021: A science teacher from SJK (Tamil) Jugra, Kuala Langat, Selangor, Vadivelan Sinnasamy, has won the Malaysian winner of the Telescope for All 2021 project.
The National Planetarium announced in a statement that Malaysia received one of the 12 telescopes donated by the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) global outreach program to promote astronomy.
Under the guidance of the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO), the Telescope for All 2021 project was launched worldwide in conjunction with Stars Shine for Everyone (SSVI), Leiden University/Universe Awareness (Unawe), and telescope maker Bresser.
The IAU’s Office for Astronomy Outreach, a joint effort between the IAU and Japan’s National Astronomical Observatory (NAOJ) under the auspices of Japan’s National Institutes of Natural Sciences, aims to engage the public in astronomy by providing access to astronomical information and communication of the science of astronomy.
The National Planetarium, in collaboration with the National STEM Centre and Universe Awareness Malaysia, served as Malaysia’s national outreach coordinator for the Telescope for All 2021 project, which ran from 3rd May to 24th May.
The program intends to pique Malaysians’ interest in the field while also ensuring a level playing field for those who choose to pursue a career in the field of space science.
With the help of outreach coordinators, the project got 225 applications from 54 countries.
Vadivelan, 42, will soon receive a Bresser 90/1200 refractor telescope, which comes with a digital camera, eyepiece, and solar foil and is likely to be the most expensive piece of equipment for his 150-student primary school.
According to the Planetarium, Vadivelan piqued the judges’ interest with his essay about providing possibilities for underserved communities to purchase telescopes in order to entice youngsters to astronomy.
Vadivelan, a 15-year instructor, said he is looking forward to receiving the telescope.
He stated that “I am more than pleased to share this piece of equipment with the nearby schools in order to spread the benefits of having the telescope around.”
Kayhana Astronomical Group (Afghanistan), Machana Satellite School (Botswana), Leva Ciencia Institute (Brazil), Tetteh-Ocloo School for the Deaf (Ghana), Open Space Foundation (India), a lecturer from Al-Muthanna University (Iraq), Jordanian Astronomical Society (Jordan), Hindu Girls’ College Astronomy Club (Mauritius), The Black Ironworks Astronomical Education Group (Poland), Tiapapata Art Centre (Samoa) and Knua Sentral ba Pratika Siensia no Matematika (Timor-Leste) are among the 11 winners of the program.
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