Bengaluru: UR Rao Bhavan, built at a cost of Rs 42 crore on Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium campus, was unveiled by deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar Friday, on National Science Day.
The building includes a state-of-the-art auditorium with a seating capacity of 600, along with multiple lecture halls designed to accommodate both small and medium-sized gatherings. There are four lecture halls each with a capacity of 50 seats and an additional hall with a capacity of 100 seats. Administrative offices for the president and the governing board have also been incorporated into the design.
The building boasts an observatory telescope, allowing visitors and researchers to engage in astronomical observations.
During the inauguration, Kiran Kumar, president of the Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE), led the attendees in taking the National Science Day pledge, reaffirming a collective commitment to scientific inquiry and innovation.
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Graduating made me happier than becoming minister: DKS
Bengaluru: “My choice has always been education. I became a minister at the age of 29-30, but I earned my degree at 47. I was more happier when I graduated than I was, when I became a minister. I pursued my degree because I feared my children would question me about not completing my education,” said deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar at UR Rao Bhavan inauguration on Friday.
Reflecting on his own journey, he highlighted how different education was during his childhood. “When I was your age, we didn’t have phones or even calculators. Now, with mobile phones and computers, you have access to unlimited knowledge. You have the power to compete with your teachers because everything they teach is already in your hands.”
Encouraging students to dream big and believe in themselves, he remarked, “Never let your background limit your ambitions. Many great scientists and leaders came from humble beginnings. You have access to more resources than they did — use them wisely.”