We take pride in the fact that India is now on the moon! India created history with the launch of Chandraayan-3. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, the man spearheading the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has played a significant role in this space mission. Being a highly-qualified and experienced aerospace engineer with a proven track record of successes, Somanath made India’s wildest space dreams a reality.

Born in 1963, S. Somanath hails from Kerala’s Alappuzha district. He had been a science enthusiast right from the time he started his schooling in Malayalam. His father encouraged his passion for science and fed him with science books. While pursuing a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from Kerala University and a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Somanath kept his focus on space.

In his memoir which is published in Malayalam, Somanath describes how he used to commute to college on an old bicycle as he could not afford the bus fare and was forced to skip the study tour due to poverty in the family.

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I’m a student of class 9 and I do well with Physics, Maths and Chemistry academically as well as being physically fit and playing sports. I want to become a Vyomnaut but also serve in the air force. I am thinking of taking PCM and pursuing Aeronautics after the 12th, then enter the Indian Air Force via AFCAT, apply at ISRO and see where that will lead me. What should I do? 
Aadhya (14)

If you want to become a Vyomnaut (astronaut), the Indian Air Force is the right choice. However, be aware that you may never become an astronaut, even if you join the air force and meet all the requirements. The reason being that India doesn’t have any active astronaut programme, and not even any deployment of astronauts on missions on a regular basis.

When any manned mission is planned, ISRO reaches out to the air force who select a handful of their best pilots and train them for the mission. Of these, one or two will get a chance to go to space.

For the country’s maiden manned space mission, Gaganyaan, the Indian Air Force (IAF) shortlisted 200 IAF fighter pilots. They were apparently given a questionnaire to solve by ISRO, after which they were subjected to physical examinations like cardiac, neural, dental, opthalmologic, psychologic and ENT. Out of 200 pilots only four were selected for the mission. They are further being trained by ISRO in rescue and recovery operations, surviving in zero gravity situations, centrifuge training, study of radiation environment and for long journey in space through water simulation.

AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) is conducted by the Indian Air Force. The exam is held twice a year to recruit candidates as Class-I Gazetted Officers in Flying and Ground Duties (Technical and Non-Technical). For the Flying branch, eligibility is B.Sc/B.Tech.

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Eligibility to join ISRO as a scientist or engineer is B.Tech. Those with B.Sc. in pure sciences are not eligible. The selection procedure is based on a written test followed by an interview. The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram (iist.ac.in), is first of its kind in the country to offer B.Tech. in Avionics and Aerospace Engineering. Students who complete engineering in IIST have an opportunity to be absorbed directly in various ISRO/DOS centres as scientist/engineer.

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The first step is to take Mathematics and Physics in 10+2. There are not many universities in India which offer an undergraduate programme in Astronomy, so you should go for B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physics. Then go for M.Sc. followed by Ph.D.; this will enable you to become an astronomer. If you are keen on joining ISRO, then one of the modes is through Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Trivandrum (iist.ac.in). IIST offers 4-year B.Tech. programmes and 5-year dual degree programmes and admission is on the basis of your score in the JEE Advance examination. After completion of the programme, students, on the basis of merit, are absorbed by ISRO.

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It is quite surprising that no Mumbaikar has become a scientist at ISRO. It is even more remarkable that Prathamesh Hirve became the first to break that spell considering the odds that he faced. 25-year-old Prathamesh’s journey to the incredible heights of space research is all the more amazing because of his humble beginnings. Living in a 10×10 shanty in the densely populated Filterpada slums in Powai, Mumbai, Prathamesh never lost sight of his goal.

His friends and neighbours would see him study day and night, and often asked him what he hoped to achieve, but Prathamesh never allowed his self-confidence to dwindle. “My aunt and parents took me for an aptitude test in south Mumbai. The counsellor told my parents that my cousin had the aptitude for engineering, but that I should choose a career in Arts instead. I was upset, but refused to give up. I told my parents that no matter what, I would become an engineer, and they believed in me,” recalls Prathamesh. In 2007, he got admission to Bhagubhai Mafatlal Polytechnic College for a diploma in electrical engineering. This was the beginning of his journey, but he had yet to overcome the most significant challenge — the language barrier.

Prathamesh had studied in a Marathi medium school up to Class X. The first two years of the diploma course were challenging for him because he could not understand English and complex engineering terms. He became a backbencher so the professor would not ask him questions. In the second year, he told his teacher about the language problem, and was advised to refer to the dictionary as often as possible. During his internships at Larsen & Toubro and Tata Power as well, his teachers encouraged him to go for a degree, so he decided to pursue a degree from Smt. Indira Gandhi College of Engineering in Navi Mumbai.

After earning his degree in 2014, Prathamesh had big dreams for his future, but not everything worked out the way he had planned. He applied for a coveted post in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recruitment but failed. He then set his sights on the sky, and applied to ISRO in 2015, but could only make it to the waiting list. By this time, he had started getting job offers, so he took up a job as an engineer. But his goal was to make it to ISRO, so, in May 2016, he applied again. There were 16,000 candidates, out of which only nine could be selected — Pratamesh was one of them. “I struggled for ten long years before I could reach ISRO. I have got my initial posting at Chandigarh. Now I will give my parents a better home and life,” says ISRO’s newest electrical scientist.

Prathamesh’s family members had never heard of ISRO until he landed a job there. His mother, Indu, says, “I have studied up to Class 3. Initially, I could not understand what this job meant. When my husband explained that our son would be working with such an elite organization, I was in tears. I remembered all the difficult times since his childhood. I am very proud of him; he has realized his dream.”

Prathamesh’s achievement is even more exciting for his father, Soma, a primary school teacher. “When Pratamesh refused to join Arts stream and insisted on Science, I cautioned him that he would have to work very hard. He would study all day till late night, and our lights would never be switched off. Everyone at our native place in Dahiwadi, Satara, is as proud of him as we are.”

Prathamesh has actualized the famous quote from Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist: “When you want something desperately, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

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Indian Space Research Organisation [ISRO] (isro.gov.in) conducts a written test every year for final year engineering students of streams like electronics, electrical, computer science or mechanical engineering. On the basis of this exam, the selected applicants are then called for an interview which decides the final selection of candidates for the post of Scientist/Engineer SC. The other option is to join Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram (iist.ac.in) for B.Tech. (Aerospace Engineering/Avionics). Admission is through JEE (jeemain.nic.in). After completing the course all students are absorbed in ISRO.

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