Beyond the Lab

How a small girl learned to dream big and aim high...

When I was a kid, I used to look up at the sky and wonder just how vast the universe really was. How could we measure it? What was out there? Why do we exist? Questions like these constantly fueled my curiosity.  Even before I could speak properly, I would point to the sky and ask my mom if she could get me a plane one day. I wanted to fly and visit my grandparents who lived far away. Naturally, I decided I wanted to be a pilot. A few years later, that dream evolved into wanting to become a fighter pilot. Then, in second grade, I came across the story of NASA astronaut Dr. Kalpana Chawla, who had grown up just two hours from my hometown, Chandigarh. She did her bachelor's from Punjab Engineering College, only about three miles from my house. Her journey left a lasting impression on me; she was relatable, inspiring, and proof that someone like me could dream of space.

At just eight years old, I was lucky to know more about space and science than most of my classmates. Thanks to my elder sister, who constantly introduced me to new ideas and kept me curious. She was the one who told me that there’s a branch of engineering that combines math, science, and space, how fun to have all the things I love in one place! That’s how I first learned about aerospace engineering, and from that moment, I knew what I wanted to pursue eventually.

Even now, that childlike wonder hasn’t faded. Whenever I fly, I always try to get a window seat; I never want to miss witnessing a takeoff. And every time I look at the wings, I’m still in awe of human innovation and how we’ve managed to make such massive machines fly. Simply beautiful! I’ve always been drawn to all things sky, space, and water. Their vastness, beauty, and boundless potential for exploration continue to inspire me, just as they did when I was a child pointing at the sky, dreaming of flight.