'You are the future', astronaut Shukla encourages students at AI Grind Challenge launch in Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first astronaut from the country to travel to the International Space Station, on Sunday urged youngsters to contribute towards realising a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, a goal the Centre has envisaged.

Speaking at the launch of the Delhi government's AI Grind Challenge, Shukla shared his experience in space and highlighted the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in space technology.

"You are the future. I am giving you a call to action. You have to work towards realising the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047," the astronaut told the students.

Earlier this year, Shukla became the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission. He landed in the US and returned to India on August 17 after the 18-day mission.

"When I came here, I did not know what the programme was about. But when I saw the Education Minister and senior leadership, it became clear where our leadership is focusing its attention. These are the areas that must be prioritised, and such efforts will take us closer to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047," he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said Shukla was "a source of inspiration for the younger generation." She said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is forging a new global identity in the fields of AI and other technological innovations.

She claimed that the 'AI Grind' will bring a transformational change to the national capital's education system.

The initiative will convert traditional classrooms into innovation-oriented labs, where students will develop AI-based projects to solve real-life problems the city faces, she said.

She said that nearly five lakh students will benefit directly from the programme, which she called a crucial step towards the vision of a 'Viksit Delhi' and a 'Viksit Bharat'. "We must all move forward together. This is the true spirit of nation-building." According to an official statement, the initiative will reach over 5 lakh learners across 1,000-plus schools, colleges, ITIs, and universities, building large-scale foundational AI capability among Delhi's youth.

Education Minister Ashish Sood said the initiative has been designed keeping in mind "India's AI Decade." He said under the initiative, students will identify civic and industry challenges and work with the government and industry partners to develop practical solutions.

Over the next four months, Delhi AI Grind will train 5,000 teachers as certified AI mentors, develop 1,000 student-led prototypes, select 50 AI Youth Ambassadors, and publish a National Innovation Compendium featuring ideas created by Delhi's youth.

The initiative invites participation from youth aged 10 to 25 years across school, college, and open categories in ten key sectors – transport, health, food systems, tourism, governance, energy, digital education, climate and environment, water and waste management, and public services. PTI SLB VN VN