Thiruvananthapuram: Organisers of the 97th edition of the Indian Science Congress (ISC) are all ready for the event, which will see more than 4,000 delegates and 3,500 student delegates participating.

"Everything is ready and the inaugural ceremony is being held in a newly built hall at the Kerala University campus which can accommodate more than 6,000 people. 50 delegates from abroad have also registered," former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G. Madhavan Nair, who is the general president of the 97th ISC, told reporters here on Friday.

This is the first time this event is being held in the Kerala capital and the second time in the state.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is arriving here late Saturday night to inaugurate the event on Sunday morning. It will conclude on Thursday.

The ISC is being hosted by the Indian Space Research Organisation and the University of Kerala. The state government has sanctioned Rs.3.50 crore for the event.

"Another highlight of the event is that there would be Children's Science Congress, in which 500 students from the country and 3,000 students from the state would participate. This would be inaugurated by former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on January 4," said Nair.

The students would have interactions with scientists, besides making their own presentations. They would be taken for field visits to the Space Museum and also witness a rocket launch.

Each day of the event would have plenary sessions which would focus on topics ranging from a science programme for the country, food and nutrition, health, climate, environment and energy, which would be addressed by luminaries from these areas, among them C.N.R.Rao, M.S.Swaminathan, Roddham Narasimha besides Nair himself.
"One important session is the special meeting to be attended by secretaries from departments like oceanography, space and atomic energy," Nair said.

-- IANS