Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla calls on youth to drive India’s AI innovation journey

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla urged students in Delhi to contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 at the launch of the AI Grind Challenge. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative aims to build a city-wide AI innovation ecosystem.

New Delhi:Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station, on Sunday urged youngsters to contribute towards realising the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

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

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“You are the future. I am giving you a call for 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 returned to India from the US on August 17 after the 18-day mission.

Speaking at the event, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the AI Grind is India’s first city-centric AI innovation engine.

The six-month-long programme aims to bring together Delhi’s schools, communities, and industries to collaboratively develop solutions to real-world challenges, she said.

This initiative is a significant step towards positioning Delhi as a leading hub for AI-based innovation, Gupta added. Taking to twitter, the chief minister said, “AI Grind will enable the youth of Delhi to develop AI-based solutions to real-world problems. Classrooms will turn into innovation labs, students will become change makers, and the national capital will move forward towards emerging as the capital of knowledge and AI innovation.”