The Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme: DHRUV has been started by Government of India to identify and encourage talented children to enrich their skills and knowledge. In centres of excellence across the country, gifted children will be mentored and nurtured by renowned experts in different areas, so that they can reach their full potential.
DHRUV has brought together 60 talented students, 30 students from Science and 30 students from Performing Arts, from schools all across India, both government and private, who broadly belong to classes 9 to 12. The initiative acts as a bridge between the students and renowned experts, helping students interact and learn from the experts to enhance their knowledge and skills by providing the right exposure, learning and opportunities.
A programme like DHRUV will help students take their rightful places in the Indian commissions, as scientists, research scholars, entrepreneurs or experts in any field they belong to, helping them bring about a significant improvement in various areas.
It is expected that many of the students selected for DHRUV will reach the highest levels in their chosen fields and bring laurels to their community, state and nation.
IIT Delhi in association with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog has taken the intellectual and scientific ownership of the programme relating to science students and professional mentors belonging to NCERT, Sangeet Natak Akademi, SPIC-MACAY and Centre for Cultural Resources and Training- Delhi are honing the innovative and creative skills of Performing Arts Group.
The entitlement of this programme was done after a lot of reasoning. Dhruv, being the Indian name for the star Polaris (pole star), is the brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation and provides direction to seafarers. Hence, similarly, Dhruv Taras (the students belonging to DHRUV) will also shine the brightest, while guiding others on the same path.
DHRUV was inaugurated on 10th October 2019 at ISRO headquarter, Bangalore and culminates on 23rd October 2019 at Siri Fort, New Delhi.
Students were felicitated during the DHRUV launch programme on 10th October at ISRO headquarters, Bangalore, where they met Hon’ble HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’; Chairman of ISRO, Dr K Sivan; first Indian citizen to enter into space, Wing Cdr. Shri Rakesh Sharma, Ashok Chakra (Retd.); and Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, Shri R. Ramanan. Later, they visited ISTRAC and Byalalu. The following day, students were taken to visit places of scientific and cultural importance in Bangalore, such as Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum and Bridge Millenium Avenue. On 12th October, the students arrived at Delhi.
The students were given accommodation in National Bal Bhavan in New Delhi. As the 60 students comprised 30 students from Science background and 30 students from Performing Arts, their days were divided in structured activities during their stay, while there were combined activities for both groups together during the evenings. Science students were trained at IIT Delhi, while Performing Arts students were trained at National Bal Bhavan by renowned experts.
The batches were further divided into groups of 10 each, making a total of six groups. All the groups picked different topics, on which they had to perform or present during the valedictory programme. Their topics included sangeet (singing), dance focused on movement and formation, CO2 Sequestration Project, Building of Air Pollution Monitor Project, Nanofabrication for Nano-Scale Devices and Climate Change Project.
During their stay at National Bal Bhavan, students got the opportunity to interact with many celebrities, such as Subhash Ghai, a renowned filmmaker; Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, an Indian classical singer of the dhrupad genre; Mohit Chauhan, a legendary playback singer; Hans Raj Hans, Sufi and non-folk Punjabi music singer; Sivamani, an Indian percussionist; and Manish Jain, an associate teaching professor at IIT Gandhinagar.
Chief Guests of Honour for the programme are Hon’ble Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu and Hon’ble HRD Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
The valedictory programme is the concluding programme, which includes demonstration of projects by the Science Group, a cultural performance by the Performing Arts Group and a joint choir of all 60 students, choreographed by professionals.
This D-day celebrates the successful launch of the phase-I of PMILP. Today, the students of the first batch of DHRUV are entitled Dhruv Taras, as each student is presented with a special memento.
