Karnataka plans wider rollout of telescope scheme to govt schools
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka is preparing to expand its flagship telescope distribution scheme beyond the KREIS residential schools to a larger network of government schools, Minister for Science & Technology N S Boseraju said on Thursday.
The proposal for additional funding will be placed before the chief minister during the next budget meeting, he said.
The minister was speaking after inaugurating a training programme for Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KRIES) school teachers on telescope management at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, his office said in a statement.
The initiative is part of the government's push to strengthen astronomy-based learning across the State.
Boseraju said the Department of Science and Technology is keen to extend telescope distribution to more schools, noting that the current project covering KRIES institutions has already achieved a significant milestone.
"Under the scheme, 833 residential schools and PU colleges have each received a telescope, at a total cost of Rs 3 crore. No other government department in the country has implemented such a large-scale initiative," he said.
Underscoring the need to cultivate scientific temper, rational thinking, and curiosity among students, in an era driven by knowledge and innovation, he further said, multiple initiatives are being rolled out statewide to strengthen science education.
The minister said, training sessions are being held in phases to ensure KRIES teachers can properly operate, maintain, and integrate telescopes into classroom learning.
The hands-on workshop is expected to inspire a deeper interest in astronomy among students, he said.
At the event, Boseraju also unveiled the 2026 Astronomical Calendar, developed by the department. The calendar will help teachers guide students through monthly celestial events using the telescopes placed in their schools.
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Trump vows to ‘finish job’, thanks Middle East allies; urges countries to show courage, buy US oil
Says US will ‘hit Iran extremely hard’ over next 2-3 weeks, threatens power plants
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said the United States is close to achieving its objectives in Iran, while thanking key allies in the Middle East for their support.
“We are gonna finish the job. We are getting very close,” Trump said, expressing appreciation to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain. “They’ve been great and we will not let them fail in any way shape or form,” he added.
Trump claimed that US military operations against Iran have delivered major results over the past month. Referring to “Operation Epic Fury”, he said American forces had carried out “swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield”.
He said Iran’s naval and air capabilities had been severely weakened and its ability to launch missiles and drones had been significantly reduced. “Their ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed, and their weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces – very few of them left,” he said.
The US president also repeated his criticism of the 2015 nuclear deal signed under former President Barack Obama, claiming it would have allowed Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Trump said the US military campaign aims to weaken Iran’s ability to support proxy groups and prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. “Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran militarily,” he said, adding that key strategic objectives are “nearing completion”.
In a separate remark, Trump urged countries dependent on Gulf oil to take action and suggested they should rely more on American energy supplies. He called on them to show “delayed courage” and secure the Strait of Hormuz, which has been affected by the ongoing conflict.
“[They] should have done it before, should have done it with us, as we asked. Go to the strait and just take it, protect it,” he said, adding that the United States has sufficient oil resources.
The remarks come as tensions remain high in the region, with continued military exchanges and growing concerns over global energy supplies.
“We will continue until our objectives are fully achieved. Thanks to the progress, we’ve made, I can say we are on track to complete all of America’s objectives shortly, very shortly,” the US president said.
We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to take them back to the stone ages where they belong,” he added.
He further added that “regime change was never our goal” but that “regime change has occurred because of their original leader’s death”.
He’s also warned Iran of strikes on power plants if no deal is agreed.
“If during this period of time, no deal is made, we have our eyes on key targets. If no deal is reached we are going to hit every one of their electric generating plants very hard, and probably simultaneously,” he says.
