Khagol Bulletin # 136 (Apr 2025) - ENG

| 15 | KHAG L | No. 136 - APRIL 2025 gravity theories using observations of Type Ia Supernovae. The meeting provided a platform for in- depth discussions on the frontiers of g r av i t y and cosmo l ogy , a l l owi ng participants to engage with the latest research. Sponsored by IUCAA and the Centre for South East Asian Studies, Gauhati University, the event was attended by t h i r t y pa r t i c i pan t s , i nc l ud i ng researchers and students, who actively participated in the sessions. The focused meeting successfully honoured the centenary of Friedmann's work while f o s t e r i n g me a n i n g f u l s c i e n t i f i c discussions on the current state of cosmology and gravitation. The meeting was coordinated by Sanjeev Kalita (ICARD Coordinator, Gauhati University) and Kanak Saha (IUCAA). Radio Astronomy School The Radio Astronomy School 2025 was held at Fergusson College, Pune, from February 17-24, 2025, under the aegis of the IUCAA Centre for Astronomy Research and Development (ICARD). Coordinated by Manish S. Hiray and Gajanan D. Harale, with overall guidance from Raka Dabhade, the event brought together forty selected undergraduate and postgraduate students f r om s e v e n i n s t i t u t i o n s a c r o s s Maharashtra, chosen from seventy-eight applicants. The participants included twenty-three males and seventeen female students. The week-long program featured five expert lectures by scientists from IUCAA, NCRA, and RRI, along with three hands-on sessions. Ruta Kale introduced the basics of radio astronomy, followed by sessions from Avinash Deshpande on single dish radio telescopes, Dharam Vir Lal on radio interferometry, Divya Oberoi on solar radio emissions, and Rajeshwari Dutta on the 21-cm hydrogen line in galaxy studies. Hands-on training included 21-cm hydrogen line observations with a horn antenna, led by Jameer Manur, and a radio data analysis workshop using CASA software, conducted by Sameer Salunkhe with Ph.D. student support. Participants appreciated the blend of theory and practice and valued the opportunity to engage with leading scientists. The school successfully introduced students to modern techniques in radio astronomy and inspired further interest in the field. Exhibition: On the Shoulders of Giants As part of ICARD activities at Fergusson College, Pune, a two-day exhibition titled 'On the Shoulders of Giants' was held on January 15–16, 2025. The exhibition was coordinated by Raka Dabhade and conceptualised and executed entirely by u n d e r g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s o f t h e Department of Physics. The exhibition was i n a u g u r a t e d b y a l umn a H ams a Padmanabhan, and the exhibits were evaluated by PMRF scholars from IISER Pune - Supritha Bhowmick, Nipun Bhave, and Deep Muzumdar (the latter two being Fergusson alumni). Special certificates were awarded to the top three teams. Open