Village Girl from Pune, 12, Chosen by NASA — A Porter’s Daughter Set to Soar

October 23, 2025:

For 12-year-old Aditi Parthe, life has been defined by perseverance and hope. The daughter of a daily wage porter from Pune’s Bhor taluka, Aditi has achieved what few from her background could have imagined — she has been chosen among 25 students to visit NASA later this year under a programme organised by the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) in collaboration with the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).

A student of Nigudaghar Zilla Parishad School, Aditi walks 3.5 kilometres each way to attend classes every day. Living with her maternal aunt, while her father and uncle work as porters in Pune’s Market Yard and her mother stays with her elder brother in their village, Aditi has grown up with limited means. Her family does not own a smartphone, and her school has no functional computers — yet, she has outshone over 13,600 students to earn a place among the 25 who will travel to the United States for the NASA study tour.

The selection process was tough. Conducted by the ZP and IUCAA, it involved three stages. In the first round, more than 13,671 students from across Pune district appeared for an MCQ test. The top 10 per cent advanced to the second round — an online test — for which the school’s headmaster, Ashok Bandal, used his personal laptop to teach the children the basics of operating a computer. From there, 235 students were shortlisted for a final interview held at IUCAA, where they faced questions in subjects including biology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and geography.

Seventy-five students were ultimately selected — 50 visited ISRO Thiruvananthapuram in early October, and the remaining 25, including Aditi, will soon visit NASA’s headquarters in the United States.

Aditi recalls the moment she learned of her selection with tears of joy. “When sir told my aunt, she was so happy she didn’t know what to say. My mother was the happiest. I called her early in the morning to tell her that I’d be going to America. Usually, I call her, but that day she called me 15 times,” Aditi said, smiling shyly.

Her teacher, Varsha Kuthwad, expressed immense pride in her achievement. “Aditi is exceptional — she’s good at studies, sports, elocution, and even dance. After the news spread, she received a cycle and school bags. We’ve also requested a laptop for her,” she shared.

For Aditi’s aunt, Mangal Kank, who raised her since childhood, the achievement feels almost surreal. “None of us has ever seen an aeroplane. It’s a huge moment of pride for us. In our village, those who don’t study become porters. We hope our children study well and find respectable jobs — maybe even become scientists,” she said with a hopeful smile.

For Aditi, who has never even travelled by train, the upcoming flight from Mumbai to NASA is not just her first journey abroad — it is the beginning of a dream that took flight from a small, computerless classroom in rural Pune.

Village Girl from Pune, 12, Chosen by NASA — A Porter’s Daughter Set to Soar

Latest News