The 30 winners of the 19th edition of the Tata Steel Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2025 were felicitated on Saturday by minister for food supplies, consumer welfare and science and technology Krushna Chandra Patra.

All winners will soon visit an Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) facility, where they will interact with scientists and get a close view of India’s cutting-edge space research programmes.

The winners were selected from a pool of 60 finalists announced at the YATS 2025 grand finale held in Bhubaneswar. More than 76,700 students from across Odisha participated in the competition this year. Since its inception in 2007, the YATS programme has reached over 4.7 lakh students in the state, becoming one of the largest science outreach initiatives for schoolchildren in Odisha.

Organised by Tata Steel in collaboration with the Pathani Samanta Planetarium, Bhubaneswar, under the department of science and technology, the
flagship initiative celebrates the legacy of Odisha’s legendary astronomer Pathani Samanta. The programme aims to nurture young scientific talent and inspire students to explore astronomy, science and space research through structured learning and competitive exposure.

Felicitating the winners, Patra said: “I congratulate all the winners of the
Young Astronomer Talent Search and wish them luck to carry forward the legacy of the great mathematician and astronomer Pathani Samanta. I believe these young talents will surely make a mark in the field of space science and make Odisha and India proud.”

Additional chief secretary, science and technology, Chithra Arumugam, said the programme recognises students with natural curiosity and scientific temperament. “This is an opportunity to celebrate the young students who have a natural curiosity and interest in science. I am sure whichever field the winners of today’s grand finale choose to pursue, they will shine for sure. That’s what makes YATS so special and relevant in our times. I believe it will carry forward the spirit of scientific enquiry,” she said.

Vice-president, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, D.B. Sundara Ramam said: “YATS is not just a competition, it is a tribute to the legacy of Pathani Samanta and a celebration of Odisha’s scientific spirit. By encouraging young minds to explore the universe with curiosity and courage, we are investing in a future where innovation,
discovery and human potential shine brighter than ever.”

The event also featured interactions with space experts Amitav Mohanty, head of EP & FMD, safety operations and systems entity at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Isro, Sriharikota, and Antariksh Parichha, co-founder and CEO of Serendipity Space, a company building satellites capable of producing pharmaceutical products in space and returning them safely to Earth. Ayush Dalai, a Bhubaneswar-based AI developer and YATS alumnus from 2015, also shared his journey with students.

This year’s edition
was themed “Stargazer today, Gagannaut tomorrow”, reflecting India’s ambitions under the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.