'More women as astronauts is part of my wishlist': ISRO chairman shares vision
While acknowledging his spiritual inclinations, Somanath took part in prayers on Vijayadasami day. After completing his prayers at the temple, he spent over 30 minutes helping toddlers write their first letters, marking the beginning of their education.
FollowIndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath expressed his desire to see increased female participation in the country's space missions. He mentioned that this aspiration aligns with the sentiments of the nation, including those of the Prime Minister. During an event at the Pournami Kavu temple, where Somanath initiated children into the world of learning as part of the Vidyarambam ceremony on Vijayadasami, he shared his hope for more female astronauts in ISRO's ambitious Gaganyaan mission.
Somanath clarified that as astronauts had already been selected and trained, involving women in Gaganyaan's maiden mission, which aims to send humans to space and safely return them to Earth, wouldn't be feasible. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism about greater female involvement in future Gaganyaan missions.
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"More women astronauts in space missions are part of my wish list, and I am echoing the sentiments of the nation, including those of the Prime Minister," he told news agency.
On a previous occasion, the ISRO chairman had mentioned that the space agency prefers woman fighter test pilots or female scientists for the much-awaited human space flight program, Gaganyaan. He had also stated that ISRO plans to send a female humanoid, a robot resembling a human, on its unmanned Gaganyaan spacecraft next year. The mission aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for three days before safely returning them to Earth.
While acknowledging his spiritual inclinations, Somanath took part in prayers on Vijayadasami day. After completing his prayers at the temple, he spent over 30 minutes helping toddlers write their first letters, marking the beginning of their education.
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Somanath justified his participation, clarifying that the ceremony has no religious connotations and is solely regarded as the initiation of education. He explained that alphabets are revered at the temple, with Malayalam language characters symbolically represented as Gods and Goddesses, signifying the importance of knowledge.
Vidyarambam, as he described it, is a transfer of blessings from gurus to children, granting them the ability to learn and comprehend the universe. Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair and Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director Unnikrishnan were also present at Pournami Kavu to participate in Vidyarambam, contributing to the children's education and initiation into the world of knowledge.
