IIT Bombay hosts Yusuf Hamied Chemistry Camp for visually-impaired school students

In partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has hosted the 75th edition of the Yusuf Hamied Chemistry Camp on June 9, 2025. It was specifically designed for 59 visually-impaired students from government schools of Mumbai, Nasik, Pune and Solapur.

C Subramaniam, IIT Bombay professor who has developed a new module for the camp, remarked that since the majority of chemistry is dependent on visual cues like colour changes, it was a unique challenge to involve other senses like tactile and olfactory mechanisms to deliver chemistry concepts to students.

The camp included sensory-based chemical experiments which turned chemistry into a tangible experience for these students for better understanding. Some of the activities students took part in were scent-based chemical identification, tactile molecular models, and concepts in physical chemistry such as levitating magnets.

Also read IIT Bombay’s 1998 batch donates Rs 57 crore for student wellness centre

IIT Bombay chemistry camp

The faculty members ensured to include safe experiments that allowed students to feel textures and temperature changes during reactions.

The RSC and its partners, funded by a “generous donation” from Yusuf Hamied, philanthropist, have given an opportunity to over 4,500 students from 20 states to experience a “high-quality” science education - inclusive of diverse backgrounds and disabilities.

Swetavalli Raghavan, head of innovation strategy and government affairs at the RSC said, “Science must be accessible to all. This initiative helps break the myth that chemistry is a visual science. With the right tools and teaching methods, we can open up the world of scientific inquiry to every learner, regardless of ability.”