“We are stardust brought to life, then empowered by the universe to figure itself out — and we have only just begun.”
– Neil deGrasse Tyson
dhRuVa is the astrophysics club at RVCE that comprises an interdisciplinary team working towards understanding our universe better. What began as a quest to explore the secrets of the universe is now a growing team of amateur astrophysics enthusiasts. Like Dhruva, the pole star, we at dhRuVa also constantly try to keep up with the happenings of the universe and events affecting earth through our telescopes, radio telescopes and analysis.
We host stargazing events, astrophysics-related coding competitions and engage in impactful discussions on latest observations made by the astrophysics community across the globe. We also believe in sharing our understanding with fellow astrophysics enthusiasts through our informative videos, blogs and journals.
We have also delved into astrophotography for capturing the marvelous pictures of the universe! We collaborate with ABAA and other student astrophysics clubs to organise interactive sessions and better outreach.
We at dhRuVa try to make astrophysics fun for us and everyone around!!!
Collaborated with Astra club and participated in International Rover Design Challenge (IRDC), held by IIT Bombay
Stargazing Spectacles 2.0 (Collaboration with ABAA)
Time machines of space 
Einstein Lectures (The Six faces of Subramanyan Chandrashekhar)
Parsec’24, A Data Driven Astronomy Workshop
Participated in SWANotchFM'24, a differential notch filter design challenge, held by IIT Kanpur.
Built a prototype for H21 Horn Antenna.
1. 6-inch telescope
2. Basic astrophotography (Antares occultation observation, solar observation)
Took readings of solar activity on Zero Shadow Day (April 24, 2024) at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium and integrated data with 2 other telescopes utilized by BMSCE and MVJCE, along with ABAA.
Did observations of the Sun using softwares like SDR Console and SDR Sharp.
Built a Solar Radio telescope from scratch using equipment like SDR, LNAs, Filters,
Stargazing Spectacles 1.0 (Collaboration with ABAA)
2-inch telescope
2nd place, Guru Dhwani Challenge, an antenna to observe Jupiter in 20GHz
SWANtenna Competition
dhRuVa Foundation Day
“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” – Vincent van Gogh
So, if you’re looking to join the Dhruva Astronomy Club, here’s the deal. We have a recruitment drive every year, and part of it is a basic entrance test with questions on your aptitude and some astronomy stuff. But honestly, the main thing we’re looking for is your genuine interest and love for space. If you’re really into astronomy, that’s what matters most!
We will be informing people through our official channels of communication, Team dhRuVa
, like our Instagram
and this website itself. Be sure to check regularly!
Dr. Niranjana K M
Dr. Venugopal K
1. Khushi Choudki
2. Aryan Acharya
B M Manohara
1. Srujan S Kulkarni (Head)
2. Srinidhi Halaharvi (Optical Electronics Lead)
3. HS Harsha (Optical Electronics Lead)
1. Yogesh Mahesh Bisnal (Head)
2. Sricharan S (Radio Electronics Lead)
3. Vineeth V Havalur (Radio Electronics Lead)
4. Aditya Chachan (Radio Research Lead)
5. Manav Verma (Radio Research Lead)
6. Rutvik Hegde (Radio Astro Lead)
1. Prarthana Kulkarni (Head)
2. Suravi (Machine Learning Lead)
3. Atharva Agarwal (Code Lead)
1. Vibhashree Vasuki (Head and Blogs Lead)
2. Deepthi Prasad (Indian Astrophysics Lead)
3. Nitya P Mohare (Journals Lead)
Amrutha Patary (Head)
1. Srujan S Kulkarni (Treasurer)
2. Aryan Acharya (Treasurer)
Professor and Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Advisor
Team Captains
Technical Lead
Optical Division
IIT (BHU), Varanasi (Feb 28 – Mar 2, 2025)
Vibhashree Vasuki represented the club and won in this space-themed hackathon, analyzing NASA’s exoplanet dataset to identify potentially habitable planets. Her project featured a well-researched selection process using astrophysical concepts and was presented as an interactive dashboard in the final round.
IIT Bombay (Summer 2024)
B M Manohara was selected for the prestigious summer program focused on astronomy and astrophysics. His project, “Pinpricks on the Vortex”, explored the evolution of nearby galaxies through star cluster studies, emphasizing Python-based simulations and data analysis.
IIT Kanpur
Two teams from our club took part in this national-level challenge hosted by the Department of SPASE, IIT Kanpur. The task was to design a differential input FM notch filter to suppress broadcast interference—contributing to the Indian Sky-Watch Array Network (SWAN) initiative.
New Delhi
A team from our club successfully submitted and had 3 abstracts accepted at GLEX 2025—an international conference co-hosted by ISRO and the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). With over 1,200 abstracts submitted globally, this marks a significant achievement and opportunity for our members to present research on a world stage.
(Sept 2021 – Jan 2022)
Our club secured Second Place in the national-level Guru Dhwani Antenna Design Competition, organized by the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) and Fergusson College. The competition challenged participants to design and simulate an antenna sensitive to radio emissions from Jupiter. Our team's innovative design, operating at 20 GHz, demonstrated exceptional technical proficiency and was recognized among entries from institutions across India.
Team Captains:
Aryan Acharya (Ph: 9686838063)
Khushi Choudki (Ph: 9324396168)
