Overview
- The four-day India International Science Festival opened in Panchkula with Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurating the event.
- Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla told students his ISS mission produced microgravity data for Gaganyaan, including experiments on food, medicines and returned seeds for multi‑generation study.
- Shukla said a new framework is being developed to allow astronaut candidates from outside the Air Force and beyond the armed forces.
- He recounted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged creation of a pool of 40–50 astronauts and said work toward that ecosystem is underway.
- Shukla emphasized India’s accelerating science and technology capabilities and encouraged youth to pursue space research toward the 2047 development goals.