"A Wealth of Opportunities": Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on India's growing space sector for younger generations

Speaking on the subject, Shukla, celebrated as the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station, said, "We are actively working on human space missions, but the private sector is also expanding rapidly. I believe that the children currently in school will have a wealth of opportunities and career options available to them when they step out into the professional world," he said.

He also mentioned, "Alpha and Gen Z are really smart and forward-thinking. They just need the right direction. These days, we have a problem of abundance; there's so much available, and so many distractions. So, it's really important to show them what to focus on and what to pay attention to amidst all these distractions. Where to go next is up to them, but it's on us to provide the information. They should get the right details."

He also encouraged the kids to take support of people when needed. "I'd say that our family and friends play a huge role in our success. Behind my mission, there was a massive contribution from thousands of people; the entire ISRO team, the entire Exim team, all my friends, and especially my family. None of this would have been possible without their support. So, for kids, I'd give the same message: your family and friends play a really big role," he said.

Shukla's remarks come amid India's growing focus on strengthening its space capabilities, with increasing collaboration between government space agencies and private players aimed at scaling up the country's launch capacity and expanding its footprint in the global space sector.

The push towards higher-frequency launches and greater private sector participation is expected to open up a wide range of career avenues in fields such as aerospace engineering, satellite technology and space research, officials associated with the sector have noted.(ANI)