Astronaut Shukla urges youths to own dreams for India's space missions, other goals
New Delhi (PTI): Describing them as future makers of the nation, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Sunday urged youths to start owning dreams, whether in human spaceflight missions or other spheres, and work collectively towards realising them.
Shukla visited the National Cadet Corps' (NCC) Republic Day Camp at Delhi Cantonment on Sunday and interacted with the cadets.
The astronaut urged them not to let a few failures define them and to keep working towards the goals they set in life.
Shukla, a group captain with the Indian Air Force (IAF), referred to a famous line from the Hollywood animation movie 'Finding Nemo', and told the gathering of uniformed youths to “keep swimming” in the ocean of life.
Later, he also interacted with some mediapersons and reiterated his expectations from the Indian youth, especially when India has set an ambitious goal of becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
Shukla returned to Earth on July 15 last year following the successful completion of a historic 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Launched on June 25 last year, the project with Shukla as a mission pilot marked the first occasion when an Indian astronaut travelled to the ISS.
“The first Indian who went to space was Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984, and it took 41 years before another Indian travelled to space. But now, I think, the youths are very excited about space, and also show an inclination to do things to achieve any big goal,” he told reporters.
In his address and later in response to queries from reporters, Shukla urged the youths to start owning dreams for the nation and its aspirations.
“So, if it is about the vision of sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040, one will have to say, ‘it is my responsibility’ to ensure it happens, or for any other aspirations for that matter,” Shukla said.
India’s long-term ambitions in space include setting up the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.
Shukla also asserted that if people of the nation can put their heart and soul together, and work collectively, “we can achieve the Viksit Bharat dream even before 2047”.
He also recalled that the capsule in which he was launched into space took off from the same complex that was used when Neil Armstrong embarked on the historic mission to the Moon in 1969.
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Food delivery agent intervenes to stop street fight in Delhi's Dwarka, stabbed to death
New Delhi (PTI): A 32-year-old food delivery executive was stabbed to death when he allegedly intervened in a violent altercation between two groups in southwest Delhi's Dwarka, police said on Monday.
The deceased has been identified as Govind Jha, a resident of Mohan Garden.
Three others sustained stab injuries in the incident and are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, they said.
Authorities also cautioned against attempts to give the incident a communal colour.
According to the police, Jha was on his way to work on Sunday night when he noticed a street fight taking place at Rajapuri in Madhu Vihar area of Dwarka. The altercation involved two men pitted against three others, who were later identified as Parvesh, Anish and Rohit.
"Jha stopped at the spot and attempted to intervene. During the scuffle, the two men allegedly pulled out knives and began stabbing Parvesh, Anish and Rohit. When Jha tried to intervene, he was also attacked," a police officer said.
All four injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Jha succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The other three men are under medical observation.
Police said the accused fled the spot after the incident, and multiple teams have been formed to identify and apprehend them.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Kushal Pal Singh, in a statement, said that some messages circulating on social media are attempting to give a communal angle to the incident.
"In the incident, four people suffered stab injuries and were admitted to the hospital. One person died at the hospital, and the remaining three are undergoing treatment. The victims belong to two different communities. The accused stabbed all four victims. Dwarka Police is conducting a search for the accused," the DCP said.
"There is no communal angle to the incident. Strict action will be taken against those spreading false information," he said.
