Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's journey to the International Space Station (ISS) now features in NCERT's new special modules on India's space journey. The National Council of Educational Research and Training on Saturday released two modules that trace the country's rise from bullock-cart rocket launches to pioneering missions like Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1.
The modules-India: A Rising Space Power-are designed for middle and secondary school students and introduce them to India's landmark space milestones. They include accounts of Shukla's ISS stay in 2025, where he conducted experiments on muscles, plant growth, and microbes in microgravity before returning on July 15. His mission is described as "remarkable" and "a matter of national pride", with the Indian flag being unfurled on the space station in what the module calls "a symbolic moment celebrated across the country."
Opening with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's words at the PSLV-C23 launch-"Space may seem distant, but it is an integral part of our daily life"-the modules combine photographs, diagrams, and timelines to present a complete picture of India's space journey for students.
The middle stage module says India is "doing incredible work in space science and technology and indeed rising as a space power," while the secondary stage traces the journey from Aryabhatta in 1975 to cutting-edge missions of 2025. It notes, "From this simple start, ISRO has grown into one of the most respected space agencies in the world. Today, it is a global leader in cost-effective space exploration-proving that big dreams can start small, but with determination, they can reach the stars."
The book features Chandrayaan-1's confirmation of water on the Moon (2008), Mangalyaan's success at first attempt (2013), Chandrayaan-3's historic soft landing near the south pole (2023)-with the sites named Shiv Shakti Point and Tiranga Point by PM Modi-and Aditya-L1's ongoing solar studies. The modules also cover upcoming projects such as Chandrayaan-4, India's first "sample return" mission, Gaganyaan's human spaceflight and the planned Bharatiya Antariksh Station under "Space Vision 2047."
India's growing international role in space is also highlighted. The secondary module terms the NISAR mission, a joint India-US satellite launched in 2025, as a "game changer" for Earth observation. According to NCERT, India has so far completed 131 spacecraft missions, 101 launches, nine re-entry missions, and has helped deploy more than 433 foreign satellites from 35 countries.
The modules also look back at India's humble beginnings. In 1962, INCOSPAR was formed under Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Homi Bhabha. Despite limited resources, India launched its first rocket from Thumba, Kerala, on November 21, 1963-transported on a bicycle and assembled with the help of bullock carts. Since then, ISRO has launched 160 satellites into different Earth orbits by August 2025.
The special modules are part of NCERT's initiative to provide supplementary material on contemporary themes. Nineteen such modules have been published so far, including ones on Partition and Operation Sindoor. They are available in English and Hindi and are meant to be taught through projects, discussions, and debates rather than standard textbooks.