Meet the engineer-turned-educationist Arvind Gupta, who is a dream teacher we all yearned for. He traveled to over 3000 schools, demonstrating captivating science experiments to bring out the scientists of tomorrow.
Today’s story is about Arvind Gupta, who uses everyday garbage as the building blocks of these experiments to make science fun.
He takes trash and creates unforgettable experiments and experiences for children. His goal is to show that science isn’t about memorizing definitions and formulas, but about understanding and creativity.
He has created 6,200 short films on toy-making in the last 35 years. These films are available on his website and YouTube in 18 languages. He also distributes CD’s packed with a massive collection of ebooks and videos to the schools he visits.
Arvind Gupta was born in Bareilly to a simple business family, with parents who didn’t have the opportunity to attend school.
Despite this, he excelled in school and was later admitted to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kanpur, where he spent five years gaining knowledge from both his studies and his peers.
During his time at IIT, he and his friends engaged in the construction of various working models.
Although Gupta initially worked for two years at TELCO after completing his education at IIT, he found the work unsatisfactory. This led him to join the Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme (HSTP) in Madhya Pradesh for six months. The program focused on reinvigorating science education by encouraging a discovery-based approach.
Gupta has often stressed the misconception that science is exclusively confined to high-tech laboratories, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating scientific concepts through everyday objects.
His website showcases an array of toys crafted from readily available materials, serving both as entertainment and educational tools for children.
Gupta has authored several books in thirteen Indian languages, focusing on science education and children’s literature.
Currently, he is actively involved in various educational initiatives, including the Muktangan Science Exploratorium at IUCAA, encouraging children to engage in hands-on experiments and exploration.
Arvind Gupta firmly believes that every child has an inner scientist waiting to be unleashed. Give them an idea, and watch as they transform and elevate it to greater heights.
Gupta has been recognized by organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, International Toy Research Association, Boston Science Centre, Walt Disney Imagineering and Research.
Share this story and follow SciAstra for your daily dose of inspiration and share this to help us in our mission to build scientists of tomorrow!
Also check this out:-
E. Sreedharan: The Metro Man of India
Vainu Bappu: Father of Modern Indian Astronomy
Bhargav Sri Prakash: Founder of FriendsLearn
