Radio astronomy provides students with hands-on exposure to observational astronomy, signal processing, and computational analysis. The Physics Astronomy Club of Kirori Mal College initiated a student-led radio telescope project to detect the neutral hydrogen (HI) 21 cm line at 1420 MHz using low-cost instrumentation. Students participated in data collection, RFI filtering, FFT analysis, power spectrum computation, and GNU Radio-based processing. Initial observations indicated a detectable HI signal near the expected frequency range, encouraging further student-led studies. The project demonstrates how low-cost radio astronomy initiatives can provide practical astronomy training opportunities in institutions with limited observational facilities.

Biography:

Prachi Yadav is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and serves as the Convener of the Physics Astronomy Club. She has been actively involved in coordinating student-led astronomy outreach and observational astronomy projects, including initiatives in inclusive astronomy education and radio astronomy. Her interests include astronomy education, science communication, observational astronomy, and the development of low-cost, hands-on learning models for students. She is particularly focused on expanding practical astronomy opportunities for students and underserved communities through accessible STEM education initiatives.