Monday, May 30 2005 11:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: In a rare honour, an Indian student will share space in the galaxy with eminent scientists like Einstein and Madam Curie, after the MIT Linear Laboratory in the USA has named a Minor Planet 17095 after him.

The Minor Planet 17095, discovered by the Linear Programme of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, has been named 'Mahadik Planet' after Bhushan Mahadik, an alumni of Fr Agnel Junior College at Navi Mumbai, Principal of the College Fr S Almeida told sources in Mumbai yesterday (May 29, 2005).

The MIT last week named the minor planet after Mahadik, currently pursuing undergraduate studies at Berkley, USA, in recognition of his achievement as a finalist in 2003 in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held at Ohio, USA, Almeida said.

Minor Planets represent material left over from the formation of solar system, most likely never coalesced into a planet because of Jupiter's gravitational influence.

The MIT Linear Laboratory has partnered with Science Service to promote science education through a programme called Ceres Connection.

Ever since the first minor planet was discovered in 1801 and named 'Ceres' after the Roman Goddess, about 20 per cent of the current minor planets have received a name.

Mahadik shares space in the galaxy with eminent scientists like Einstein, Madam Curie, famous personalities like the Beatles and two other Indian students, who have minor planets named after them.