Ujjain, April 2 (NationPress) In a significant effort to validate that Indian timekeeping is more accurate than current Western methodologies, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will launch a three-day international symposium titled ‘Mahakal: The Master of Time’ on Friday, April 3, at the Dongla Digital Planetarium Complex located near Ujjain.

On this occasion, he will also inaugurate the newly built Ujjain Science Centre.

This conference, taking place from April 3 to 5, is designed to merge ancient Indian wisdom with contemporary space science and astronomy. It is being organized in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology, the Indian Knowledge Tradition Cell (Ministry of Education), and Vijnana Bharati.

Notable attendees at the inaugural session include Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan, and renowned thinker-author Suresh Soni.

Historically, Ujjain has been a revered city linked to Lord Mahakal and Emperor Vikramaditya, recognized globally for its contributions to timekeeping and astronomical studies since ancient times. Acharya Varahamihira notably identified Ujjain as the prime meridian for astronomical computations.

The conference will explore the feasibility of establishing the Ujjain-Dongla area as a global meridian (Prime Meridian), capitalizing on the fact that the Tropic of Cancer traverses through Dongla, situated roughly 35 km from Ujjain.

The newly inaugurated Ujjain Science Centre, built at an investment exceeding Rs 15 crore, features a Science Gallery, Outdoor Science Park, Innovation and Student Activity Hall, Heritage-themed Gallery, and an Exhibit Development Laboratory. Its purpose is to foster a scientific mindset among students and the broader community.

Key features of the conference will include workshops on UAVs, remote-control technologies, satellite production, safe solar sunspot observation, and telescopic exploration of the night sky. Special sessions focused on student-teacher engagement and training in space technology will be organized to inspire interest in space science among the youth.

Distinguished scientists and experts attending include Dr. V.K. Saraswat (NITI Aayog), Prof. Yasuhide Hobara (University of Tokyo), Dr. Nilesh Desai (ISRO), Dr. Prakash Chauhan (NRSC), Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam (IIA Bengaluru), and many others from ISRO, CSIR, DRDO, and various international institutions.

The event will consist of lectures, panel discussions, a technology exhibition, a start-up conference, book launches, exhibitions, and cultural programs. Institutions such as ISRO, CSIR, TIFR, IIT Indore, and DRDO will showcase their accomplishments.

This three-day gathering is anticipated to enhance preparations for Simhastha-2028 and fortify Ujjain’s status as a global hub for time and space science. The state government is actively pursuing the development of Ujjain as a ‘Time Scale Centre’ and the establishment of a Science City in the area.