Scientific creativity of Thar students wows one and all

Thar Science Festival sparks children’s interest in science and engineering

The sprawling desert of Thar became the centre of scientific creativity as the talent and interest of students of remote and small city of Mithi stunned visitors at the two-day Thar Science Festival which ended yesterday.

Natasha, a 5th-grader, impressed the visitors and officials when she, in Sindhi language, explained the stepby-step process of a water filtration device using simple materials such as sand, charcoal and gravel.

“This little girl is a shining example of the talented students of Thar and is also a ray of hope for water-starved Thar where many have also died from various waterborne diseases” said Sadia Hussain, a visitor.

The talent and scientific knowledge of the schoolchildren at the first-ever Thar Science Festival has proven to be an eye-opener for officials and politicians.

“The aim of the Thar Science Festival is to highlight the potential of Thar region and motivate kids toward science and mathematics” according to Farhad Jalal of Alif Ailan, one of the organisers of the fair.

Students of 73 government and private schools participated in the festival where they exhibited more than 120 science models. On the first day, the fair attracted a massive audience of 6,000 students from more than 100 government and private schools of Thar district. Hundreds of teachers, entrepreneurs, science specialists, officials and politicians also visited the festival.