The air was filled with an abundance of joy and smiles flashed all around as family members bid farewell to their children as they embarked on a trip that few of them had ever imagined: a 10-day tour of the United States with visits to NASA centers and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The 25 students embarking on the journey come from Pune Zilla Parishad schools and most of them are from underprivileged backgrounds. Their flight will depart from Mumbai early Saturday morning.
The trip includes visits to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, NASA’s Earth Information Center, and major technology companies in San Francisco. Students will also meet India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, at the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC.
A ceremony honoring the students was held in the Council Hall on Friday. The Indian Express had earlier reported on the case of Aditi Parth, a seventh-grader from Bor who was selected for the tour. Her school didn’t have any computers, and no one in her house had a smartphone, but she was able to get selected for the test. “We feel she has done something completely different. All our relatives are very happy. I hope she continues to do well in the future and I will continue to support her,” her father told The Indian Express.
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No one in Omar Sheikh’s family had traveled on a plane before, says his father, Samir Sheikh. He lives in Indapur and runs a stationery business. “We had no idea about the exam, and the teachers filled out the forms themselves. We were so happy when the results came out that we couldn’t even believe it,” he said.
Suyog Wadekar, Kasturi Wadekar’s cousin who was traveling to the US, was thrilled while delivering her. “We are located in Shikrapur. Everyone in our family is very happy that she is going to the USA.”
The program is implemented in collaboration with IUCAA, which has played a pivotal role in designing the selection framework, conducting student assessments, and creating the science guidance modules. More than 13,000 students participated in the initial examination and final selection was completed through a rigorous three-stage evaluation process.
Earlier this year, 50 students visited ISRO and witnessed a rocket launch, while another 50 students visited Delhi, exploring Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, Jantar Mantar and Nehru Planetarium. More students will soon visit scientific institutions in Mumbai. The San Francisco portion of the US trip is supported by the Jnana Prabodhini Foundation, CA.
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(Tags for translation) Pune ZP Students US Tour
