In a public school classroom in Dowleswaram, a physical science teacher saw something in the Class 10 student that would take him all the way to New Delhi, and maybe, one day, to the Indian Space Research Organisation.Image of ISRO).That student is Kandula Jessie. She is 14, the daughter of a carpenter, and now she is one of the 20 Indians selected for Mission ShakthiSAT, the world’s first all-girl CubeSat mission. He is also the only student from Andhra Pradesh to make the final All India list, chosen from around 12,000 applicants from 108 countries.His story is not one of the first advantages. This is one of the interests of one teacher, the family’s financial problems, and a student who keeps coming to online classes after school, even if his grades are beyond him.
The teacher who saw it first
Jessie studies at Zilla Parishad Girls High School (ZPGHS), Dowleswaram, and it was here, in the school’s Atal Tinkering Lab, that her science teacher Manimala first enrolled her in the program last year.Manimala noticed that Jessie was very interested in science and technology, and actively participated in lab activities and competitions. Jessie didn’t stop asking herself. He also encouraged eight other students from his school to apply as well. But when he tried to join, he found that the online courses had already started. Manimala approached the show’s directors directly and got a second chance, which allowed Jessie to continue.
What it took to get elected
Mission ShakthiSAT selection was not a matter of filling a form and waiting. It also involved online learning modules spread around 550 units and 21 modules, covering satellite mechanics, propulsion, thermodynamics and space technology. Applicants also had to clear a one-hour interview with scientists and coordinators, and submit a one-minute video explaining the work and the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.Jessie was able to complete about 50 to 60 percent of the course while preparing for her Class 10 board exams, attending online classes every day after school.“I found a lot of concepts difficult at first because they were more advanced than what we learn in school, but I still went to classes every day,” Jessie told TOI.Rounding up the interview added another challenge. It was conducted entirely in English by international experts, and Jessie worked hard to improve her communication skills with the help of her teachers and training videos in front of her.“I was nervous to talk to international scientists. I didn’t expect that a public school student like me would be selected,” he said.
A family made up of financial difficulties
Jessie’s father works as a carpenter. According to her mother, Aruna, the family had to transfer Jessie from a private school to a public school due to financial problems.It was in that public school, in a laboratory aimed at introducing students to play and creativity, that a teacher saw its potential. What could have been considered obstacles led Jessie to a place where her passion for science could be recognized and encouraged.“My husband is a carpenter and we have faced many challenges. Seeing my daughter bravely joining international scientists is one of the proudest moments of our life,” said Aruna.
What’s coming up
From August 23, Jessie will travel to New Delhi for the next phase of the program, which includes hands-on training and National Space Day celebrations. There, they will work with scientists on satellite design, payload development and operations for the student-designed CubeSat lunar mission, a small satellite designed to orbit the Moon, which is expected to be launched from Sriharikota on October 11.Jessie is hoping to attend the event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend.“After being selected for this program, I feel that with hard work I can achieve my dream of joining ISRO. I also want to support my parents and make my teachers and school proud,” he said.
About Mission ShakthiSAT
Mission ShakthiSAT is led by Dr. Srimathy Kesan, founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, an organization that works to make space science accessible to young people. According to its official website, the project aims to encourage young women to work in STEM through the use of science, satellite technology and international cooperation.For Jessie, it has already done more than that. It has transformed the hard work of a public school student every day after school into a true reflection of a career in astronomy.