[Assam] Golaghat boy selected as NASA junior scientist - AT

[Ram Sarangapani]

This is good news indeed. And of course congratulations to young Arnab.

--Ram


Golaghat boy selected as NASA junior scientist
>From Our Correspondent
 DERGAON, Jan 7 – A 20-year-old boy of Golaghat, Arnab Kakati, has been
selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as its
Junior Scientist. Arnab, the only son of Manik Kakati, a junior engineer of
ASEB and Sikha Kakati of Old Amolapatty, Golaghat, is studying Engineering
at Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology of Orissa.

Talking to *The Assam Tribune*, Arnab's father of dedicated his son's
success to the people of the State and particularly mentioned the help
extended by former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in the entire process.
According to the family sources, Arnab was interested in space science since
Class VIII and sent his research paper on Big Bang theory to the World
Junior NASA Competition and was later selected as a Junior Scientist of the
space agency, which invited Arnab to join and study at NASA.

It is pertinent to mention here that no person has ever joined NASA before
32 years of age. So Arnab being just 20 years old, is all set to create a
world record. Initially, Arnab's parents were not interested in sending
Arnab to the US but Dr Kalam insisted that he must go there. The family
sources further said that Arnab has taken part in nine NASA seminars and two
others with the European Space Agency (ESA) through the Internet. He has
also taken part in different seminars through the Net.

According to information, Central government has allotted a residence for
Arnab at New Delhi with security. The Junior Scientist will leave for Delhi
on January 15 after signing some documents at Raj Bhavan. He will fly to New
York on January 20. After three months, he will come back to India to appear
in his final engineering exam.

The good news has been hailed as a New Year's gift to the people of
Golaghat.