Key Points

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who had come to participate in the first day of the first Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference being held at the Ganpat University campus in Kherva of Mehsana district in the North Gujarat region, met Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in person.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel congratulated Shubhanshu Shukla on the success of his space journey.

Earlier, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog, launched the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025, which has received an overwhelming response from students and is engaging participants from approximately 2.5 lakh schools nationwide, according to an official statement.

This is India's largest-ever student innovation initiative and a historic step toward the vision of Viksit Bharat, the Ministry of Education said.

"Giving a major boost to the initiative, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Test Pilot in the Indian Air Force and an Astronaut with ISRO, as well as Brand Ambassador of the Viksit Bharat Buildathon, urged students in a video message to join the initiative and contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharat," the Ministry said in the statement.

Addressing the students, he highlighted that the Buildathon offers a unique platform for students in Grades 6-12 to showcase their creativity. He said that every idea, big or small, can help shape Viksit Bharat 2047.

Students must think innovatively and develop prototypes addressing real-life challenges, including Vocal for Local and harnessing the potential of Swadeshi, he added.

Schools will submit entries in the form of photos and videos, which an expert panel will evaluate. Top teams will receive prizes from a pool of Rs 1 crore.

- ANI