Garhwal Post Bureau
Ranikhet, 1 Jul: Continuing its mission of making quality education and scientific knowledge accessible to students, especially those from rural and remote regions of Uttarakhand, the Science Popularisation Cell, Government PG College, Ranikhet, has joined as a Knowledge Partner, along with the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST), Dehradun, for the one-week free online course, “Bhagavad Gita with Scientific Views”.
The programme is being organised by the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata, and is being conducted from 1 to 7 July 2026, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. every day.
The course aims to present the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita through the perspective of modern science, encouraging participants to explore the harmony between scientific inquiry, philosophy, ethics, and spirituality. It is expected to benefit students, teachers, research scholars, and the general public by promoting scientific temper, critical thinking, and value-based education.
The lectures will be delivered by BS Vrajapati Swami (Vasudeva Rao), President of the Bhaktivedanta Institute and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, and BS Vrajendra Kumar Swami (Varun Agarwal), Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur. Participants attending the complete course will receive a digital certificate.
Over the past two years, the Science Popularisation Cell, under the coordination of Dr Bharat Pandey, has emerged as a leading platform for scientific outreach in Uttarakhand. The Cell has successfully organised several prestigious national and international academic programmes, including Nobel Laureate lectures by Prof David J Wineland and Prof Carl E Wieman, enabling students from rural and hill areas to interact with world-renowned scientists. It has also conducted advanced workshops on Nanomaterials for Energy Harvesting and Storage, Organic Field-Effect Transistors (OFETs), astronomy and cosmology, IIT Bombay Virtual Labs, and several other scientific outreach initiatives that have inspired hundreds of students towards science, innovation, and research.
Prof Pushpesh Pande, Principal, Government PG College, Ranikhet, said that such interdisciplinary programmes enrich the academic environment by connecting scientific inquiry with ethical and philosophical understanding. He added that the collaboration reflects the college’s commitment to providing students, particularly those from rural and remote regions, with opportunities to learn from eminent scholars and experts.
Prof Durgesh Pant, Director General, Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST), Dehradun, said that science and spirituality complement each other in the pursuit of knowledge and truth. He appreciated the collaborative efforts of the Science Popularisation Cell and the Bhaktivedanta Institute in providing meaningful learning opportunities that inspire scientific curiosity, innovation, and value-based thinking among young minds.
Dr Bharat Pandey, Coordinator, Science Popularisation Cell, said that the programme is another step towards connecting students with interdisciplinary learning that combines scientific perspectives with timeless wisdom. He encouraged students, teachers, research scholars, and the general public to register and actively participate in this unique educational initiative.
