Devgun said: 'The aim behind the 'heliodyssey' event is to inculcate interest among the common man, especially students, towards science and to study the scientific phenomenon that is caused due to the geometrical positioning of these heavenly bodies.

'These students will be a part of the official SPACE team of astronomers and scientists working on various experiments during the total solar eclipse and record the event scientifically. They will not only get a chance to represent their school and themselves internationally but the exposure opens their horizons for scientific research and the cultural diversity adds to their personality.'

Devgun is a mechanical engineer who left his job to start a professional astronomical organisation.

The first 'heliodyssey' programme was conducted in 2006 when students were taken to Turkey to watch the total solar eclipse followed by a trip to Siberia in Russia in 2008.

SPACE will also organise public viewing of the eclipse at four places in India.

'Our teams along with experts will be available at Sasaram and Taregana in Bihar, in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh for helping people watch the eclipse,' Devgun said.

Nehru Planetarium director N. Rathnasree said: 'According to NASA, Taregana near Patna could be one of the best places to watch the eclipse as based on satellite images, clouds are likely to be less (over the region) and so the possibility of watching the eclipse there is more compared to other parts of the country due to the ongoing monsoon.'