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21 August 2024 at 10:20:16 am

Creativity, imagination and journey into space

Mumbai: The AI Prompt Art 2026 Exhibition, organised by the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, in association with the National Centre for Science Communicators (NCSC) as part of National Space Week 2026, offers a fascinating and inspiring exploration of the intersection of science, technology, art and imagination. Held from August 16-23, the exhibition celebrates India’s remarkable journey in space science, exploration and discovery while presenting an innovative perspective on the growing role...

Creativity, imagination and journey into space

Mumbai: The AI Prompt Art 2026 Exhibition, organised by the Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, in association with the National Centre for Science Communicators (NCSC) as part of National Space Week 2026, offers a fascinating and inspiring exploration of the intersection of science, technology, art and imagination. Held from August 16-23, the exhibition celebrates India’s remarkable journey in space science, exploration and discovery while presenting an innovative perspective on the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in visual creativity and scientific communication. At the heart of the exhibition is the concept of AI prompt art, in which an idea, question, scientific concept or imaginative thought is transformed into a visual creation through Artificial Intelligence. Unlike traditional art forms, AI prompt art allows people from diverse backgrounds to participate in visual storytelling without necessarily requiring conventional artistic skills. A thought can become an image, a scientific question can become a visual narrative, and an imaginative vision of the future brought to life. This creative process is one of the exhibition’s most significant strengths. It demonstrates how Artificial Intelligence can become a new medium for artistic expression while also opening fresh possibilities for scientific communication, education and storytelling. The exhibition shows that technology need not replace human creativity; instead, it can provide new tools through which human curiosity and imagination can find visual expression. The exhibition presents a curated collection of imaginative AI-generated artworks inspired by the wonders of the universe. Astronomy and celestial phenomena provide a vast canvas for creative interpretation. Planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, spacecraft, lunar landscapes and distant worlds are represented through a variety of visual styles and perspectives. The artworks invite viewers to look at familiar scientific ideas in unfamiliar ways, transforming complex or distant concepts into engaging visual experiences. A particularly important aspect of the exhibition is its celebration of India’s achievements in space exploration. The country’s remarkable journey from the early stages of its space programme to ambitious planetary missions provides a powerful source of inspiration. The exhibition gives special attention to landmark missions such as Chandrayaan, reflecting India’s continuing quest to understand the Moon, our planetary neighbourhood and the wider universe. The Chandrayaan missions have become an important part of India’s scientific identity, representing technological capability, perseverance and the spirit of exploration.

HC suspends second convict’s lifer, grants bail

Exactly 13 years after rationalist and anti-superstition crusader Dr. Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead on a Pune road the Bombay High Court suspended the life sentence of convict Sachin Prakashrao Andure and granted him bail, pending his appeal against conviction, here on Tuesday.


A division bench of Justice S. V. Kotwal and Justice R. R. Bhonsale extended to Andure the benefit of ‘parity’ with co-convict, Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar - who was granted bail by the high court in April this year.


With Andure’s release, both men convicted in the Dabholkar murder case are now out on bail pending their respective appeals.


Senior Advocate Niteen Pradhan, representing Andure, argued that the prosecution case rested substantially on an uncorroborated extra-judicial confession. He also highlighted the absence of a formal Test Identification Parade (TIP) to establish Andure’s identity and the failure to recover the murder weapon used in the crime.


While granting bail to Kalaskar five months ago, the high court had taken note of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s failure to conduct a TIP. Identification based on photographs shown to witnesses while the accused was in custody was consequently questioned.


Time in Custody

The court had also noted then that Kalaskar had spent more than seven-and-a-half years in custody, and there was little likelihood of his appeal being taken up in the near future.


The same considerations have now paved the way for Andure’s release on bail, and the detailed court order with the reasoning is awaited.


In an interim application, Andure had also challenged his conviction for life and sought bail before the High Court through his counsel Virendra Ichalkaranjikar, which has now been allowed.


On August 20, 2013 Dr. Dabholkar, 67, a physician, rationalist and founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), was gunned down while on his morning walk at Pune’s Omkareshwar Bridge.


The sensational killing triggered widespread outrage and renewed demands for action against forces opposing his campaign against superstition besides creating a major political upheaval.


Initially the Pune Police probed the case and following a petition filed by the slain medico’s daughter Mukta Dabholkar in the high court, it was transferred to the CBI in 2014.


The trial began in September 2021 and finally on May 10, 2024, the Pune Sessions Court convicted Andure and Kalaskar of murder and conspiracy, plus awarded them life imprisonment besides imposing a fine of Rs. 5-Lakhs each.


The prosecution had alleged that Andure was one of the shooters, but the trial court acquitted three others – an ENT surgeon Dr. Virendrasingh Tawade described as the alleged mastermind, a lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar and activist Vikram Bhave - for lack of evidence.


Nevertheless, Mukta Dabholkar filed appeals against the acquittals of Tawade, Punalekar and Bhave which are pending before the high court for almost two years.


Incidentally, Sachin P. Andure, Sharad B. Kalaskar and Dr. Virendrasinh Tawade were also named as accused – and later enlarged on bail - in the shocking killing of Left wing intellectual and CPI leader Govind Pansare who was killed near his home in Kolhapur on February 16, 2015.

All the accused in the two murder cases reportedly harboured links with a right-wing organisation, the Sanatan Sanstha, which had later strongly denied any involvement in the crime.

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