Navnirmiti

Content Description

The accession consists of published resources and publicity and outreach material associated with the initiatives of Navnirmiti. They include source material for science education, solar filters/eclipse spectacles, posters, and pamphlets as well as fictional matter and external resources gathered by the organization. A manual on sunspot experimentation, ‘Day Time Astronomy’ booklets consisting of activity cards catering to sun-earth experiments, booklets designed to commemorate National Scientific Temper Day source guides to participate in the international campaigns of annual solar eclipses and other mass science popularization campaigns like International Year of Astronomy (2009), Transit of Venus Experiment (2004), Eyes on Ison (2013) and (Suryotsav (2019) with multilingual publications in English, Marathi, Kannada, Hindi and Urdu are contained in this collection. Multilingual outreach posters and pamphlets with guidelines on safe viewing of cosmic occurrences like the transit of Venus and annular solar eclipses are also a part of this accession. Specially designed solar filter spectacles for safe viewing of solar eclipses are featured in the collection. Apart from this, material from other publications related to the broader projects of science communication and education, collected by Navmiriti are included alongside the organization’s publications and outreach materials.

Condition Description

The collection is in good condition. The solar filters/ eclipse spectacles require special care while handling.

Accession Date

2023-07-12

Dispostion

This accession will form part of the the Navnirmiti Papers, which will be arranged into three series: Series 1 titled ‘Published Resources’ contains booklets on science experiments, science activity manuals and handbooks for school children. The educational material has been arranged chronologically. Series 2 is Publicity and Outreach material which has been divided into two sub-series. Sub-series 1 is Pamphlets, Handouts, Experiment cards created by Navnirmiti for creating awareness or educating the public about scientific phenomena.. Sub-series 2 contains Solar filters/eclipse spectacles manufactured by Navnirmiti as part of their solar eclipse viewing campaigns since the 1980s. Series 3 contains two research references.It includes a short story commissioned by Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research as well as a study on gender disparities in literacy based in Maharashtra.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Provenance

Physical material was received on 12 July 2023 from Dr. Sabysachi Chatterjee, president of All India Peoples Science Network by Venkat Srinivasan, Archives at NCBS.

Retention Rule

The Navnirmiti Papers fit under the scope of the Archives at NCBS as part of the history of science education and science popularisation in Maharashtra and processes of public science and science communication. The Archives has offered to preserve and catalogue these materials. The donor and the Archives have agreed that the Archives will have full authority in handling the material in the future.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

No

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for access unless mentioned in specific folders

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not have been assigned to Archives, National Centre for Biological Sciences. Permission for reproduction or distribution must be obtained in writing from the Archives at NCBS (archives@ncbs.res.in). The Archives at NCBS makes no representation that it is the copyright owner in all of its collections. The user must obtain all necessary rights and clearances before use of material and material may only be reproduced for academic and non-commercial use.