Skyroot launches Kalpana Fellowship for women engineers in space sector

New Delhi: Skyroot Aerospace on Tuesday announced the launch of the Kalpana Fellowship, India's first-of-its-kind fellowship programme dedicated exclusively to women engineers in the space sector.

The Kalpana Fellowship is designed to inspire, encourage, and empower the next generation of female engineers to soar to new heights in the space industry, the Hyderabad-based start-up said in a statement.

"We need more women in STEM and in the space sector, and women can bring in more innovation, creativity and impact. Therefore, we conceived the Kalpana Fellowship to provide exciting opportunities for women engineers to work on cutting-edge space projects, receive mentorship from top experts, and gain access to world-class infrastructure at Skyroot," said Pawan Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot.

Inspired by the legacy of astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the fellowship offers an all-encompassing programme featuring a monthly stipend, experiential learning, guidance from seasoned professionals, access to world-class infrastructure and innovative technologies at Skyroot Aerospace, the statement said.

The program provides a monthly allowance for a year to successful candidates, with eligibility open to final-year students and recent graduates in relevant engineering disciplines.

The 2024 fellowship registration window is presently open.

"With exciting missions on the horizon and our relentless pursuit of disruptive technologies, the Kalpana Fellowship offers opportunities for talented space engineers to contribute to transformative advancements," Bharath Daka, co-founder and COO of Skyroot, said.

Skyroot has launched a dedicated website through which potential candidates can register for the fellowship, and its teams will reach out to various educational institutions across India to build awareness and provide an opportunity for a wider base of candidates to avail the opportunity.

Exceptional candidates who complete the one-year fellowship will have the opportunity to transition into full-time roles at Skyroot Aerospace, the statement said.