Bharat celebrates second National Space Day
Bharat’s second National Space Day is more than a commemoration of rockets and lunar landings. This year’s theme, “Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan: Ancient Wisdom to Infinite Possibilities,” is a celebration of how deeply space has entered the nation’s imagination from ISRO’s control rooms to village classrooms. What once seemed distant and abstract is now alive in the drawings and creative expressions of children in rural schools.
The author, himself from a village in Bharat, now in the United States, is fortunate to see the creative expressions from government schools in the Saharanpur district in UP across Vidya Gyan’s networked schools. They have sketched rockets blazing into the sky, colored planets in vibrant hues, and built cardboard satellites with pride. Teachers share photos and videos of entire classrooms decorated with posters of Chandrayaan, students holding up their art with glowing smiles, and rows of handmade models representing Bharat’s scientific milestones.
These images from rural schools capture something profound: space exploration, once remote, is now part of everyday learning for Bharat’s youngest citizens in rural schools.
The dream that started with visionaries
Bharat’s space journey was born of a vision by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space program. He insisted that advanced science must serve the everyday needs of society. His conviction and commitment have made space research a national priority and source of pride today.
Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, the “Missile Man,” and later the President of Bharat, carried this dream further. His journey from Rameswaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan embodied the idea that Bharat’s children, no matter where they start, could dream beyond the skies. Today, when a girl in a rural classroom colors the Moon or imagines a rocket launch, she walks in the path that Sarabhai and Kalam made possible.
From setback to triumph: Chandrayaan’s story
The Chandrayaan missions embody Bharat’s unassuming resilience and grit. In 2019, when Chandrayaan-2 faltered in its final descent, the nation collectively felt the heartbreak. Prime Minister Modi, himself at ISRO, consoled the scientists, assuring them that the country stood with them. He reminded the nation and ISRO scientists that setbacks are stepping stones to success. When the author witnessed that failure, he was keenly reminded of Kalam’s inspiring statement: FAIL only means ‘First Attempt In Learning.’
That belief bore fruit in 2023 when Chandrayaan-3successfully landed near the Moon’s south pole — a global first. Once again, Modi was at ISRO, celebrating the proud moment and naming the landing site “Shiv Shakti Point.” This gesture honored both Bharat’s spiritual heritage and the women scientists who had led key aspects of the mission. He declared August 23rd as National Space Day, ensuring that the lesson of resilience and achievement would echo every year, across generations, and in classrooms to communities.
Doing more with less
Bharat’s space program is admired worldwide for achieving more with less. For example, the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) was completed on a shoestring budget smaller than many Hollywood movies, earning Bharat a reputation for frugal innovation. This ability to innovate under resource constraints resonates deeply in our classrooms, where children see reflections of their own ingenuity and perseverance. Learners of today, with exposure to space stories in their formative years, have a brighter future tomorrow.
The women role models behind the missions
One of the most inspiring features of ISRO’s journey is the leadership of women scientists and engineers. They were at the helm of Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions, shaping Bharat’s success story. Their presence in mission control, smiling and triumphant after Chandrayaan-3’s landing, became iconic images of national pride.
For India’s young daughters, these women are living role models. In rural classrooms, girls who once might not have imagined themselves in science are now drawing rockets and planets, and getting inspired knowing that women like them are already leading Bharat into space. Vidya Gyan is particularly pleased that its own focus on girls’ education is taking shape firmly.
A nation celebrates: From control rooms to classrooms
The truest measure of Bharat’s space story lies in how it is celebrated in 2025 across the country and in the media coverage of achievements[1]. But in village schools, the celebrations reveal something even more transformative.
Rural schools now host art competitions, science fairs, and storytelling sessions for National Space Day. Students read and write essays on Sarabhai and Kalam and proudly receive certificates of participation. Children’s creativity is boundless — crayon drawings of astronauts, paper models of satellites, and collages of the solar system. These moments broaden horizons, helping children see themselves as potential scientists, engineers, or explorers.
This is a profound shift. For the first time, rural children are seeing Bharat’s space story as their own. Space is no longer “out there,” but alive in their classrooms and dreams.
Looking ahead
National Space Day is not just about celebrating technological milestones. It is about cultivating a culture of resilience, aspiration, and unity. From Sarabhai’s early vision to Kalam’s inspiration, from Chandrayaan-2’s heartbreak to Chandrayaan-3’s triumph, from Modi’s encouragement at ISRO to the naming of Shiv Shakti Point, and from urban science centers to village classrooms — Bharat’s space journey has become everyone’s journey.
As Bharat looks toward new missions — from studying the Sun with Aditya to sending astronauts into orbit — the story will continue to inspire. And in every drawing of a rocket, every handmade model of a satellite, and every classroom celebration of Space Day, one truth shines: Bharat has learned to dream together, including the remote village schools, and when a nation dreams together, it truly soars even under difficult circumstances.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
3. The author acknowledges the use of ChatGPT in researching topics and the meaningful improvement of content.
Reference:
[1] National Space Day 2025 (23 August): Theme, History & More – Aug 22, 2025, Next IAS
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
Formerly, a researcher in Italy, Japan, and France, he has widely travelled and came to the US in 1978. He was a faculty and academic administrator in several different universities in PA, TX, NJ, MN, WI, and NY, and an Executive Fellow in the White House S&T Policy during the Clinton administration.
- The Bengal Files: Clearing the clouds of truth - September 14, 2025
- DELHI: Bharat’s shield against the South Asia storm - September 10, 2025
- Trishul, Troika, and Trump: The geopolitical power shift - September 4, 2025
