Background

Science fiction is the “most important literature in the history of the world,” declared one of its  titans, Ray Bradbury, “because it’s the history of ideas, the history of our civilization birthing itself.” That’s a powerful reminder of how science fiction ushers us to think of novel possibilities, unseen, unheard, unimagined. It is thus striking how many scientific inventions we use in our world today have been presaged in the realm of science fiction. Be it technologies like credit cards, drones, artificial intelligence or robots, lunar landings, and video chatting. Fiction allows us to push the boundaries of what we consider achievable and thus inspires us to work to bring it to reality.

Despite these convergences, science and creative writing are often considered as disparate fields. Specifically in the context of the Indian education system where a rigid separation in these fields, from an early stage, has deprived a generation of young minds of an education that can equip them with skills to join the dots across disciplines. This gap is exacerbated for underserved communities. This is precisely what The Quantum Quills Project seeks to remedy. 

By acknowledging that science, like arts and humanities, is also a vehicle for story-telling, it seeks to facilitate dynamic experiences for students, helping them synthesize their skills in scientific thinking and creative storytelling.