Pune’s First Digital Planetarium Opens at Kothrud School, Public Shows from September
Kothrud, 11th August 2025: The city’s first fully digital planetarium has been inaugurated at Abhinav Vidyalaya English Medium School, Kothrud, offering immersive views of celestial events, space missions, and scientific concepts.
The facility—named Dr Nanasaheb Upasani Planetarium—was formally launched on Sunday and is currently open to schools and colleges. Public screenings will begin in September, bringing the experience to a wider audience of astronomy lovers.
The 50-seat planetarium is equipped with full-dome projection and powered by Digistar 2025, an advanced software suite that allows high-definition simulations of the cosmos. According to its developers, this is the first installation of its kind in India.
The launch event was attended by Arvind Paranjpe, Director of Nehru Planetarium; Abhijit Shetye, Head of Infovision; V.N. Chavan, President of Adarsh Shikshan Mandali; P.M. Joshi Rao, Secretary; and committee members Avinash Pradhan and Rajshree Telkar.
“Dr Nanasaheb Upasani served as president of Adarsh Shikshan Mandali. In his memory, his son Sudhir Upasani made a substantial donation for the project,” said Avinash Pradhan. “The hardware, manufactured by US-based ES, was installed in India by Infovision. This planetarium will be a valuable resource for both science education and public outreach.”
Highlighting the facility’s capabilities, Arvind Paranjpe said, “Visitors will be able to explore the night sky, understand the solar system, galaxies, and the history of astronomy. The Digistar 2025 platform also makes it possible to present interactive content on biology, earth sciences, chemistry, and physics, creating a truly cross-disciplinary learning environment.”
Astronomy sessions are being curated by the Pune-based group Sanshodhan. Activities for Adarsh Shikshan Mandali schools have already begun, while bookings for other educational institutions are set to open soon. Public entry will follow in September, with a range of shows aimed at sparking curiosity about the universe.
