- 11 October, 2025
Goa, October 10, 2025: Indian Air Force Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Sukla captivated educators at the 56th National Convention of the All India Association of Catholic Schools (AINACS) in Goa, urging them to nurture curiosity and resilience among students. Speaking on the theme “Ignite Minds, Exploring Frontiers: The Convergence of Space, Education, and Industry” at the Park Regis Convention Centre, Arpora, Captain Sukla shared his extraordinary journey from test pilot to astronaut and the lessons it holds for education.
The Challenges of Re-entry and Human Adaptation
Addressing a packed hall of school principals and teachers, Captain Sukla recounted the physical and psychological challenges of returning to Earth after a space mission, presenting video clips to illustrate his experiences.
“When you come back from microgravity, even simple acts like lifting your neck to look out of the window feel incredibly heavy,” he explained. “I thought we were under two or three Gs because of the strain—but the display read only 0.3 G. The body’s transition is drastic.”
Describing his first steps after splashdown, he said, “I had the strength, but my mind had forgotten how much effort walking takes. Every step I took, I was falling unless someone supported me. Only gradually do you return to normal functioning.”
These experiences, he said, offered vital lessons in endurance, adaptability, and self-belief—qualities just as essential on Earth as in space.
Inspiring Curiosity and Resilience
Captain Sukla underscored the power of curiosity in education. “When children ask, ‘How do I become an astronaut?’—that’s a true victory,” he said. “They’re already asking the right questions. Our role as educators is to guide them from where they are to where they want to be—and to instil the right values along the way.”
Drawing parallels between space exploration and the unknown future facing today’s youth, he added, “When we think of sending someone to Mars, we don’t even know the questions we want to answer. That’s the mindset we must foster in our students.”
From Test Pilot to Astronaut
During a lively Q&A, Captain Sukla reflected on his path to becoming one of India’s astronauts, an opportunity that emerged after the 2018 announcement of India’s human spaceflight programme. “Seventy-two of us applied, and after eight months of intense physical, medical, and psychological tests, only four were selected,” he recalled. “Psychological fitness was crucial—it ranked very high.”
He admitted that being an astronaut had never been his childhood dream. “India didn’t have a human space programme when I was young. But whenever an opportunity comes, I say yes first and figure it out later,” he said with a smile.
His philosophy of perseverance, shaped by his training at the National Defence Academy and the Air Force, guided him through challenges. “If someone else can do it, so can I. We all have the same hands, legs, one brain, and two eyes—so why not me?” he said.
A Salute to Educators
Captain Sukla concluded by paying tribute to his teachers. “I stand before you not just as a Group Captain or astronaut, but as a proud product of our education system. The values my teachers gave me shaped who I am,” he said.
He ended with an ambitious vision for India’s space future: “Let’s not wait another 41 years to send someone into space. Let’s send 41 people in one year. It will take all of us—educators and explorers alike—to make that dream real.”
His words left educators deeply inspired, rekindling their commitment to ignite young minds with vision, courage, and purpose.
By Bro. Malvino Alfonso
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