In an address at the annual science and technology festival, Techfest, hosted by the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, S Somanath, the visionary Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), urged the bright minds of IIT to actively engage in India’s space exploration endeavors. His motivational speech talked about the forthcoming initiatives of ISRO, offering a glimpse into future projects that include the Gaganyaan human space flight program, lunar exploration missions, and the ambitious objective of establishing a lunar-based economy – all set to be realised by the milestone year 2047.
During his engaging discourse, Somanath highlighted the imminent launch of the ‘Bharat Antriksh Station’ (Indian Space Station) scheduled for 2035, with the initial phase slated for 2028. He expressed ISRO’s keen interest in fostering collaborations with institutions across India, particularly in the domains of material science and robotics. A special call was extended to IIT Bombay to contribute its expertise in robotic activities related to in-orbit services.
“We will look for possible research opportunities with various institutions in India, in areas like material science, robotics, among all,” he stated.
Post-speech, the chairman took the time to address students’ inquiries, with a significant focus on concerns related to the allure of lucrative international job opportunities. Drawing from experience, he shared an anecdote about his team’s visit to an IIT for engineer recruitment, where the revelation of the salary structure led 60% of candidates to reconsider their choices.
During the subsequent question-and-answer session, Somanath tackled concerns about the prevalent preference for well-paying international jobs among students. His encouragement echoed the importance of contributing to India’s space endeavors, emphasising the unique opportunities and impactful roles available within ISRO.
Expanding on ISRO’s recent achievements, Somanath discussed the success of the Chandrayan-3 mission and unveiled ambitious plans to launch 50 satellites in the next five years. These satellites would be dedicated to applications such as geo-intelligence, agriculture, and environmental and climate observation.
Addressing the pressing need for infrastructure expansion, the ISRO Chairman underscored the necessity for a new launch pad due to the increasing size of rockets. He explained, “With bigger rockets, we will require bigger launch pads. The current Shriharikota will not be enough.”
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