Indian Scientists and Space Exploration: Class 4 Study Guide
Scientists ask questions, test ideas and share what they find. India has many famous scientists and a space programme.
C. V. Raman studied how light scatters when it passes through a material, and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. India marks National Science Day on 28 February to remember his discovery. Srinivasa Ramanujan was a mathematician from Tamil Nadu, and National Mathematics Day on 22 December is his birthday. J. C. Bose showed that plants respond to the world around them. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was a scientist who worked on rockets and later became President of India.
The Indian Space Research Organisation, or ISRO, sends rockets and satellites into space. Vikram Sarabhai is known as the father of India's space programme.
Space missions
| Mission | What happened |
|---|---|
| Aryabhata (1975) | India's first satellite |
| Mangalyaan (2014) | India's mission that reached orbit around Mars on its first try |
| Chandrayaan-3 (2023) | A lander touched down near the Moon's south pole on 23 August |
How do scientists work?
Scientists notice something, ask a question, make a guess, test it and record what happens. They share their results so others can check. They also learn from mistakes.
Look closely.
Why does this happen?
Try it fairly.
Tell others what you learned.
Be a young scientist
You can be a scientist at home. Plant two seeds, give one water and keep the other dry, and note what happens. Keep a science notebook with the date, what you did and what you saw.
Worked examples and common mistakes
Example: Who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930? C. V. Raman. Example: What does ISRO stand for? Indian Space Research Organisation. Common mistakes: thinking that scientists never make mistakes, or that only adults can ask scientific questions. Everyone can observe, ask and test.
Check your understanding: model answers
1. 28 February. 2. The organisation that builds and launches India's rockets and satellites. 3. For example watering one plant and not another, then comparing growth.
✨ Key Takeaways
- C. V. Raman won a Nobel Prize in 1930.
- ISRO builds rockets and satellites.
- Aryabhata was India's first satellite.
- Scientists observe, ask, test and share.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- Which day is National Science Day?
- What is ISRO?
- Describe one test you could do with plants.
Print a science observation log →