During his historic mission to the Indian Space Station, Group Captain Shukla carried with him a number of objects and artefacts designed by NID students. These artefacts, now transformed into symbolic space souvenirs, represent the creative contributions of Indian design to the nation’s space journey. He shared that these designs had received widespread appreciation at both national and international levels, underscoring the role of design in space.Group Captain Shukla’s visit to NID was a gesture of gratitude to the institute and its students for their creativity, diligence, and contribution to this milestone in Indian space history.
The Director of NID Dr. Ashok Mondal welcomed Group Captain Shukla and briefed him on the institute’s pedagogy, heritage, and contributions to the evolution of design education in India. The Director also reaffirmed NID’s commitment to collaborate with ISRO and other national institutions in advancing design-led innovation for nation-building.
During his two-day visit to the Gandhinagar campus, Captain Shukla actively engaged with students, toured the campus facilities, and participated in in-depth discussions on design possibilities in space exploration. He delivered insightful sessions at both Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad campuses, on his experiences with space missions and shared a national perspective on India’s space programmes.
Group Captain Shukla shared his experiences of spaceflight, his preparations for the mission, and insights from his journey aboard the ISS. He also spoke about the ongoing Gaganyaan mission, emphasizing the strategic importance of India’s space programme and its potential to inspire future generations.His interactions proved to be highly engaging, inspiring, and intellectually enriching for the students.
During his tour of the campuses, he visited various departments and design disciplines, interacting with faculty members, staff, and students. He expressed admiration for the diverse range of design projects underway at NID and acknowledged the institute’s commitment to fostering innovation and problem-solving through design.
Group Captain Shukla also reviewed and discussed several collaborative projects between the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) of ISRO and NID. He expressed his appreciation for NID’s valuable contributions, commending the progress, design excellence demonstrated in these initiatives.
He also spoke about the various opportunities and avenues for NID students to collaborate with ISRO, encouraging them to contribute their design expertise to projects that support India’s advancements in space technology and exploration.
Highlighting the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and ISRO’s long-term objectives, he spoke about India’s plans to establish its own space station and conduct a manned lunar mission by 2040. He underscored the indispensable role of design in enhancing human experience and functionality in space missions, encouraging NID students to explore design-led solutions for the challenges of space exploration.
Group Captain Shukla expressed his sincere appreciation for the warm reception and stimulating exchanges he experienced during his visit. He conveyed his intention to continue engaging with NID to explore avenues of collaboration in areas where design can play a pivotal role in the country’s future space endeavours.