Vigyan rail: Science exhibition on wheels

Abstract

'Vigyan Rail-Science Exhibition on Wheels' was a landmark event in the history of science communication of the country at the turn of the 21st century. Vigyan Rail (meaning, 'train of science'), a train carrying scientific exhibits on various themes crisscrossed the length and breadth of the country for eight months during 2003-2004 in an attempt to take science to the people. The project was conceived and implemented by Vigyan Prasar, and executed in collaboration with Ministry of Railways, with active participation of 18 departments/ministries of Government of India engaged in various scientific and technological activities. During its entire journey, Vigyan Rail aimed to motivate the people to learn, understand and appreciate how science and technology (S&T) have helped to improve their quality of life and the new challenges that have emerged through exhibits, working models and slide/multimedia shows and demonstrations. At the same time, the exhibition focused on the arduous path and the determined efforts of our scientists who made this progress possible, immensely contributing to the social and economic growth of the country. Vigyan Rail was a unique experiment that proved how people crave for information and knowledge about S&T that they use in their everyday life, or the environment they live in. This project evinced keen interest in many developing and developed countries around the world as well. Vigyan Rail-its conceptualisation, implementation, impact and the lessons drawn from this landmark project-along with suggestions to make future projects even more effective and the recent efforts are discussed in this chapter.