Chandigarh: The four-day India International Science Festival commenced in Panchkula, near here, on Saturday, with children enthusiastic to have Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla present among them.
Sharing his experiences from his space mission, Group Captain Shukla said, “The view of India from space is breathtaking, and the country appears to be the best in the world”.
Shukla said during his nearly 20-day space journey, he conducted several scientific experiments and gathered crucial information for the Gaganyaan mission, which will add a new chapter to India’s human spaceflight programme. He also carried out experiments related to India-centric food, medicines, and innovative technologies.
He said, “India is rapidly advancing in the field of science and technology, and it is a matter of pride for every Indian that the country is becoming increasingly self-reliant in this domain”. He urged the youth, especially the children, to pursue science and space research with determination.
Group Captain Shukla emphasised that the “responsibility of realising the vision of a developed India by 2047 rests on the shoulders of the youth, when they progress, the nation progresses”. He said the growing interest in science among children is encouraging, and that teachers also have an important role in guiding them towards fulfilling their dreams of becoming astronauts.
During the interactive session, Group Captain Shukla responded to questions from students and youth and addressed their queries with enthusiasm.
He said the day in 2018 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced from the Red Fort that a son or daughter of India would soon go into space, that declaration inspired him to pursue his own journey to space. From that moment onward, he began making consistent efforts in that direction.
Shukla stated that regardless of circumstances, one should continue striving, as success eventually follows persistent effort. In response to a student’s question about whether one can become an astronaut only through the Indian Air Force, he explained that a new framework is being developed under which individuals from various fields, not just the Air Force or armed forces, will also be able to pursue a career as astronauts.
Group Captain Shukla added that the inspiration he drew from Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, India’s first astronaut, gave him the courage to reach this milestone.
He expressed confidence that many more Indians will journey into space in the future. He also said India is now seriously working on the Gaganyaan mission and that the Aditya-L1 mission to study the Sun has been successfully launched.
(IANS)
