At just 13 years old, Iniya Pragati from Chennai is charting a course that few dare to dream. After completing a high Arctic Martian research mission on Devon Island (an area in the high arctic which resembles mars geology, Iniya has emerged as India's youngest analogue astronaut to venture into the Arctic, and she's not stopping there. Her sights are set on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
"I'll be on the Moon," she said with quiet confidence. "Sooner than later, and then on to Mars. My final destination is Mars. But first I want to go to Low Earth Orbit, then Moon," she added, referring to low Earth orbit as her first stepping stone.
Iniya's journey began not in a lab or a classroom, but under the night sky.
"My interest in space started when I was five years old from night sky watching," she recalled. "It inspired me a lot. I started learning about basic things like the solar system and planets. Then I got so interested in Mars and decided I want to become an astronaut."
Her Arctic expedition was part of a high-altitude research mission supported by the Mars Society, a non-profit organisation that inspires youth to take on space exploration.
"It was mostly like a space expedition," she explained. "I collected many samples of water and searched for microbes. I'm more into microplastics, studying if our pollution has reached the most remote areas. I'm currently doing my research."
The mission took her to the Haughton Crater, a 14-million-year-old impact site on Devon Island. "We are the first team to go into the center of the crater," she said proudly. "We are researching the water samples I collected."
Iniya's achievements are not limited to fieldwork.
She is also a published author of three books, including the "Evidence of Water on Mars".
"Writing a book made me a good reader," she said. "I started working for extended hours almost every day to read and understand Mars in every possible aspect."
Her passion for space has led her to train in rocket design, propulsion, space architecture, and even advanced scuba diving to simulate astronaut training in zero gravity.
"I started researching how to become an astronaut and discovered that astronauts train in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab at NASA," she explained. "I started my swimming training holding my breath underwater and ultimately got trained in scuba."
Iniya's dedication has earned her a spot in NASA's 10-day space training programme in 2026, making her the youngest Indian to receive this opportunity. "I am looking for sponsors for my US journey," she said, hopeful and determined.
She is also a Mars Ambassador, spreading awareness about STEM (Science, Technology, Mathematics Education), space sustainability and the importance of dreaming big.
"Being the Mars Ambassador is the best way to communicate the importance of this significant endeavour to our younger generation," she said. "It's our global responsibility to inspire and create awareness about sustainable life."
Iniya's role as a change maker extends to social causes. She actively works on the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on quality education for girls and water conservation. "My inquisitiveness towards space has turned me into an author and a researcher," she said. "I want to create a habitat on Mars - my home."
Her journey has been supported by her parents, whom she calls her "super supporters".
While her school, SRM Public School in Chennai, supports her in spirit, she said, "I'm doing it alone". She was participating in a big Confederation of Indian Industry space meeting in Bengaluru.
Iniya has met some of India's space legends, including Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, India's first astronaut. "He told me, 'Do hard work, be consistent, don't leave your dreams,'" she recalled. She also had a photo opportunity with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who flew to the International Space Station.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing plans to send 40 to 50 Indian astronauts into space and a vision for an Indian to walk on the Moon by 2040, Iniya said she is ready. "Of course, why not?" she said. "I will be going to space in India. Indian space programme."
