From rural classrooms to NASA: How 25 Pune Zila Parishad students are taking India's dreams to the United States.

In what can only be described as a life-changing journey, 25 meritorious students from Pune's Zila Parishad or district council schools are flying to the United States for a 10-day educational tour, rewriting what rural aspiration looks like in India. For children who started their journeys inside modest classrooms at village schools, this visit to NASA and other global science centers marks a monumental leap-not just for them but for the future of rural education.

The initiative is a tailored joint effort of the Pune Zilla Parishad and IUCAA to help keep scientific curiosity alive by giving hands-on exposure to students in the worlds of space research, innovation, and technology. The three-week packed itinerary will have them touring Washington D.C., Orlando, and Los Angeles to interact with NASA scientists, visit leading science museums and institutions, and even meet India’s Ambassador to the United States.

For many of these students, this is not a journey but an experience in itself-first flying, then going abroad for the first time, and seeing with one's own eyes the magnitude of advancement science has achieved in many parts of the world. Before they set off, the team visited ISRO, the IUCAA campus, and even the Parliament House in New Delhi-all experiences that have by now elicited much inspiration.

Gajanan Patil, Chief Executive Officer of Pune ZP, which is piloting this program, outlined the vision thus: "The goal is to raise their awareness in science, research, and technology that will help them in their future academic endeavors." His vision reflects a larger shift-one where rural education systems are investing actively in global exposure, confidence-building, and future readiness of government school students. Visiting NASA's research centers is much more than academics for the students; it gives them a view to possibilities they might never have imagined. The difference may just last for 10 days, but will remain for their lifetime.