NASA DAY CELEBRATION TPS“NASA Day celebration” – Z518

DATE: 20TH September,2025

HOST COLLEGE: School of Planning and Architecture, University of Mysore (Z518)

VENUE: Maharani’s Government women’s PU college, Mysore

GUESTS: Principal of the PU college

INTRODUCTION: The celebration of the 68th year of NASA India marked not just a milestone but a meaningful step towards inspiring future minds. As part of this occasion, an outreach initiative was conducted at Maharani’s Government Women’s PU College, aiming to introduce young students to the vast and dynamic world of architecture.

The event focused on breaking down the essence of architecture, what it is, why it matters, and how it shapes the spaces we live in. Through interactive sessions and discussions, students were also introduced to the vision, activities, and opportunities offered by NASA India, encouraging them to explore architecture as a potential career path.

More than just an informative session, the initiative stood as an effort to ignite curiosity, creativity, and ambition among the next generation of designers and thinkers.

1.INAUGURAL SESSION

The session began with an address by the Principal of Maharaja Women’s College of Science, who introduced the purpose of the program and our team.

We initiated an interactive introduction, engaging students by asking their names and sharing our journey as architecture students associated with NASA India.

To create a comfortable environment, we encouraged open interaction, making the session more approachable and engaging.

A brief Q&A was conducted to understand students’ awareness of architecture, revealing that while some had basic knowledge, many were unfamiliar with its scope.

1.KEY SESSION 

Introduction by Principal

The key session began with an introduction to architecture as both a field of study and a profession, emphasizing that it goes beyond building design to include creativity, technical knowledge, and social responsibility. Eligibility criteria and required academic backgrounds were also explained.

Students were guided through the admission process, including entrance exams like NATA, along with preparation strategies focusing on aptitude, drawing skills, and observation. Information about government seats and affordable pathways was also shared.

The session highlighted the wide scope of architecture, introducing students to various career paths such as architectural practice, urban design, interior design, landscape architecture, and other emerging fields.

An orientation on NASA India was conducted, explaining its origin, purpose, and the various activities it offers, including competitions, conventions, and workshops.

The benefits of being part of NASA India, such as exposure to national platforms, networking opportunities, skill development, and creative exploration, were discussed.

Overall, the session provided both practical guidance and inspiration, helping students gain a clearer understanding of architecture and the opportunities within the field.

1.WORKSHOP 

 To make the session engaging, a hands-on workshop was conducted with around 60 students, each provided with A4 sheets. Our team interacted individually, guiding them through the basics of sketching.

The workshop began with fundamentals such as how to hold a pencil, control line weight, and build confidence in drawing, emphasizing the importance of simple elements like lines and dots.

Students were introduced to key techniques like perspective drawing and gradient

shading, with live demonstrations that made concepts easy to understand and replicate.

Continuous interaction was encouraged, with students asking questions and receiving real-time feedback as our team moved around to guide and correct them.

The session evolved into a creative exploration, where students actively engaged, showing enthusiasm and curiosity, making the workshop a dynamic and memorable experience.

1.COMPETITION

Following the workshop, a competition was conducted to channel the students' newly learned skills into a creative challenge. Students were asked to divide their A4 sheets into four sections and create patterns using gradient techniques, transitioning from dark to light and vice versa. Our team briefly demonstrated how gradients can be controlled through pressure and stroke consistency before they began.

During the activity, unit members continued interacting with the students, guiding them to maintain neatness, balance compositions, and explore creativity. Students experimented with both geometric and free-flowing patterns, showcasing their individuality and understanding of the concepts.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement and focus, as participants put forward their best work. At the end, the Principal evaluated the entries and selected the top three based on creativity and execution. The winners were awarded gift hampers, making the experience both rewarding and memorable.

1.EVENT HIGHLIGHT

NASA Day outreach conducted on 20th September by the Z518 Unit at Maharaja Women’s College of Science was marked by resilience, adaptability, and meaningful engagement. One of the key highlights of the event was overcoming initial challenges, including difficulty in securing permissions due to a lack of awareness about architecture, even at the administrative level, which strongly reflected the need for such initiatives.

The session itself stood out for its balance between informative and interactive components, beginning with an introduction to architecture and NASA India, and transitioning into a hands-on sketching workshop and competition.