An atmosphere brimming with excitement and pride filled the air as 25 students from Pune Zilla Parishad schools embarked on a journey of a lifetime—a 10-day educational tour to the United States, featuring visits to NASA facilities and major technology hubs. The flag-off ceremony, held at Council Hall on Friday, saw emotional farewells from family members, many of whom had never imagined such an opportunity for their children.
Dream Journey to the Stars and Beyond
The selected students, primarily from underprivileged backgrounds, departed from Mumbai early on Saturday morning, November 15, 2025. Their meticulously planned itinerary is nothing short of extraordinary. The tour includes immersive visits to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and the NASA Earth Information Center. Adding a significant diplomatic dimension to their trip, the group is scheduled to meet India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, at the Embassy of India in Washington DC.
The San Francisco segment of their adventure, which includes tours of major technology companies, is being supported by the Jnana Prabodhini Foundation, California.
Stories of Grit and Determination
Behind this group of 25 are tales of remarkable perseverance. The selection process itself was highly competitive, with more than 13,000 students appearing for the initial test. The final cohort was chosen after a rigorous three-stage evaluation process designed and conducted in collaboration with the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).
Take the case of Aditi Parthe, a Class 7 student from Bhor. Her school had no computers, and no one in her household owned a smartphone. Yet, she managed to clear the challenging selection test. Her elated father shared, "We feel that she has done something completely different. All our relatives are very happy. I wish that she should keep doing well in the future and I will keep supporting her."
For Umar Shaikh from Indapur, this trip marks a family first. His father, Sameer Shaikh, who runs a stationary business, revealed, "We had no idea about the exam; the teachers filled the forms themselves. We were so happy when the results came out we couldn’t even believe it." No one in their family had ever travelled on a flight before.
The joy was equally palpable for Suyog Wadekar, cousin of selected student Kasturi Wadekar from Shikrapur, who expressed the family's collective happiness at her unprecedented opportunity.
A Broader Vision for Educational Exposure
This NASA tour is part of a larger, ongoing initiative to provide exceptional educational exposure to students from Zilla Parishad schools. Earlier this year, 50 students visited ISRO and witnessed a rocket launch, while another 50 explored Delhi's landmarks like Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament House. Plans are also underway for more students to visit science institutions in Mumbai.
This program underscores a powerful commitment to democratizing access to high-quality scientific and global exposure, proving that talent, when given the right platform, can truly reach for the stars.
