An Out of the World Experience

Good Morning

On the 10th of this January, nine students of our school: Avneet Khurmi, Binaydeep Singh, Karishma Sekhon, Leela Raina, Puneet Singh, Sainipreet Singh, Surya Jain, Shahbaz Sekhon and Vikhyat MAhajan accompanied by Mukul Sir, Yogeshwer Sir and Mrs. Parminder Duggal got an oppurtunity to talk to Sunita Williams, the Indian origin Astronaut, currently onboard the International Space Station. The students had qualified for the 2006 Asian Regional Space Settlement Design Competition.

We arrived at the American Center in New Delhi where we got another lifetime opportunity to interact with Rakesh Sharma, India's first man in space. Before the main event started, however, we had some sessions with Rakesh Sharma, Robert Mulford (The US ambassador to India) and the competition organisers. I would like to share with you what Rakesh Sharma told us. He said that, on the first day in space, you feel very Indian, you look up to your motherland, you salute it, you say 'Saare Jahhaan se Accha.' On the next day, you realise that there are no boundaries. All the borders are manmade. You feel like a global citizen. The next day you look beyond the Earth. You realise that there is nowhere else to go, nowhere to relocate. What we have here must be preserved and taken care of. You become environmentally, politically conscious. Remember Mahatma Gandhi's words that Nature has enough for everyone's need but not for greed. Another interesting fact was that Space was a ground that unites the world together. He remembers a moment which was being treated by the team doctor. He said, here was an Indian Astronaut in a Soviet ship being treated by a Russian Doctor with a Tibetan Medicine while flying over Italy.

Sunita Williams had similar thoughts to share. She answered the first question by the audience on the same lines. In the world of terrorism and unrest, the ISS a collaboration of 16 countries was a great example. She emphasised that there were no boundaries, it all existed in our minds. The next question about India was answered with great enthusiasm. She congratulated the country on the success of the PSLV launch on the same day and said that India's colourful culture reflected on its beautiful red mountains, green fields, white Himalayas among yellow desert visible from space.

A question on whether she would like to live permanently there brought out the fun you can have in space. She felt like Mary Poppins, who could fly anywhere and she enjoyed having her liquid food floating around the station.

Vivek High School posed the question, how her stay in space had changed her perception about Earth and the Universe. She inspired us all by her insightful answer that the world was but one planet. From space, it seemed hard to imagine that anyone was arguing down there.

I would like to thank everyone at school who have been involved with the project one way or another. Especially Duggal Ma'am and Renu Ma'am for giving us this opportunity and being there at midnight scouting News Channels for our footage. :-)


Presented in the school assembly in January 2007

Boarding a Train

Waiting at the station
Hustle bustle everywhere
Vendors selling popcorn
Smell of Fryums in the air

At last the train has come
People looking out from windows
Porters running to get customers
People ready to get on, in rows

The train slows down and stops
A rush of people, a stampede
Shouts of relations are heard
O' look at the stall, a fat man's greed

Board the train quickly
a hasty father says
"Give me two cups of tea please"
A husband asks a vendor and pays

We climb the train after all
The porters bring the luggage in
We find our seats to sit on
While a man takes along all his kin

The signal man gives the signal
The train starts to move
As the power comes from he line above
The wheels move on the track's groove


Written during Winter holidays in Class 6. Went on a family trip to Nanded, Maharashtra and Bidar, Karnataka. On a long train journey of course.

Halifax Bomber

This kit was a gift from Sunny Didi and Jasdeep Jijaji. They are some of the nicest people I know. I made a Thank You collage for them: