Panchkula, 6 December (H.S.):

The opening day of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025 witnessed an inspiring interactive session with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who shared fascinating insights from his space mission with students and young scientists on Saturday.

Speaking at the first session of the festival in Panchkula, Shukla recounted his experiences aboard the International Space Station (ISS), explaining what life is like beyond Earth’s atmosphere. He described how astronauts adapt to weightlessness—moving, eating, drinking, sleeping, and performing daily tasks while everything, including water droplets, food packets, and even the human body, floats around in microgravity.

Shukla explained to the children that astronauts use special sleeping pods in space, and every scientific experiment follows strict schedules and disciplined procedures. The session turned highly engaging as students asked curious questions—ranging from what food tastes like in space, to how days and nights are experienced, and how the human body reacts to microgravity.

Shukla answered each question with warmth, humor, and motivation, encouraging young minds to pursue science fearlessly.The IISF 2025, currently underway in Panchkula, has drawn thousands of students, researchers, and innovators. Over the coming days, the festival will feature large-scale science exhibitions, innovation showcases, youth interaction sessions, and various workshops aimed at fostering scientific curiosity and awareness across all age groups.

The festival’s central objective is to take science to the masses, inspire young minds with a spirit of inquiry, and highlight India’s growing achievements in science and technology on a global platform.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar