OUR HISTORY
In 2014, a group of science enthusiasts and professionals in the fields of Science & Technology and Education, along with a few philanthropists and prominent members of business community decided to launch a platform for the Indian student community in Kuwait. This move was backed up by National Science Movement namely Vijnana Bharati, India's largest national building science movement.
The Aim was to create a platform, which will
- Identify and appreciate students with a flair for Science and Technology
- Ignite interest, kindle inquisitive spirit, and develop young minds to have a passion for
science and technology - Motivate the young generation to take up science as a career and encourage them to
contribute towards India VISION 2030 and spread the message of supporting and building
our society using science as a tool. - Introduce India's rich scientific heritage to the youth in order to kindle scientific temperament
within them.
Science International Forum (SIF) was officially launched in Kuwait at a grand function organized at the Indian Embassy Hall on 4th, November 2014. Honourable Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, H.E. Sunil Jain inaugurated the function by lighting the traditional lamp.
Today SIF-Kuwait programs are actively supported and implemented through 21 Indian schools in Kuwait. More than 7000 students are currently engaged with SIF-Kuwait through its various programs.
Sastra Prathibha Contest
Sastra Prathibha Contest (SPC) is an inter-school science talent search contest initiated by Vijnana Bharati, which has been conducting this contest for more than 10 years among the students in India and lately in all GCC countries.
SIF Kuwait introduced it in Kuwait in 2015 where more than 4500 students from 17 Indian Schools in Kuwait participated in it. In the academic year 2019-2020, SPC has grown into the largest science talent exam conducted in Kuwait, with the participation of more than 7000 students from 21 Indian schools.
SPC is a one-hour objective type test, where the questions are asked from the prescribed syllabus, current academic curriculum, and general knowledge. Top scoring students from each class will be declared the Sastra Prathibha for that year and will receive the Title Awards during the Annual Science Gala. Examination is held for students from class 4 to class10. The objective of the examination is to make students more affinity towards pure science. JC Bose Sastra Puraskar is presented for the best performing school in SPC.
Kuwait Children's Science Congress
Kuwait Children's Science congress, Young scientist's program is part of National Children's Science Congress, a flagship program of the National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science & Technology. In 2015, The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India appointed Science International Forum - Kuwait to conduct the screening test for this program, KCSC- Young Scientists Program. The top performing teams of this program will also get the opportunity to participate in the National Children Science Congress held in India.
KCSC provides the children of 10 to 17 years a unique opportunity to use their scientific temperament and knowledge to make their own dreams come true. This program encourages students to form groups of maximum 2 students and do a project, which is a study of a problem carried out with an objective of finding out a solution to the problem. It involves defining the problem, making the hypothesis, observation, collection of data through survey or experimentation, its analysis and then arriving at conclusion to find out the solution. The themes and the subthemes for the project will be announced every year. Mentoring programs were conducted for the selected projects by Eminent Scientists from Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR). The first ever Kuwait Children Science Congress (KCSC) and Exhibition was held on 27th November 2016 at Indian Central School, Abbassiya. In 2019, a total of 46 teams in both Junior and Senior categories participated. As every year this year also
the qualifying teams participated at NCSC which was held at the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram.
Annual Science Gala & Student- Scientist Interactions
Annual Science Gala, is a yearly program, organized by SIF Kuwait with an aim to provide experience, appreciation, motivation, and knowledge for the student community in Kuwait. Interaction programs with India's leading scientists will be organized as part of Gala providing a great opportunity for the students of Kuwait to meet and get an exposure of the rich experiences of these famous scientists.
This program was launched in Kuwait during the visit of Padma Bhushan Dr. Vijay Bhatkar, India's leading IT scientist and inventor of PARAM super computers, in 2015. From 2016 until 2019,Annual Science Gala hosted eminences and living legends of Indian Science Padmavibhushan Dr. MS Valliathan, Dr. Sachin Mandavgane, internationally renowned physicist Prof. Sibaji Raha, India’s best science communicator Sri. Manish Jain, Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy IAS and Padmashri Dr. Ganapati D. Yadav along with eminences from Kuwait. In 2020 due to the COVID pandemic situation SIF Kuwait conducted Annual Science Gala on online platform and Dr. Ashutosh Sharma, Hon’ble Secretary, Department of Science & Technology was the chief guest to address the student community.
