“Ek government school ki ladki, ek mission… aur NASA ke Mars rover ke saath kaam kar rahi.”
She grew up in a Bengaluru classroom with zero access to elite coaching—no dream of space.
But today, her journey from a government school to NASA is real… and she’s literally helping control Mars!
Because sometimes, genius wears no uniform—just courage
🚀 1. Small School, Big Dreams – The Girl Behind the Rover
She was born and raised in Bengaluru, studied in a modest government school, and didn’t attend any big-name coaching institutes.
Bas ek chhota sa sapna tha — space tak pahunchne ka.
📚 Her journey started at RV College of Engineering, a reputed but non-IIT state-level college.
🛠️ 2. From Desi Classroom to NASA Labs
After graduation, Akshata Krishnamurthy went abroad for higher studies:
- 🎓 Master’s at UIUC (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
- 🎓 Ph.D. at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
During her Ph.D., she interned at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), contributing to the ASTERIA CubeSat mission.
And post-Ph.D.?
She was hired by NASA JPL. Today, she’s a Science Phase Lead and Systems Engineer on the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Mission!
🛰️ “Hello Mars, Bengaluru calling.”
👩🚀 3. First Indian Girl to Control the Perseverance Rover
Yes, you read that right.
Akshata is the first Indian citizen to operate a Mars rover for NASA.
While hum Wi-Fi se fight kar rahe hote hain, she sends commands to a robot sitting millions of kilometers away on Mars!
🏆 4. Not Just NASA – Award Machine Bhi Hai
This desi rocket queen has a trophy shelf like no other:
- 🥇 NASA Group Achievement Award (for ASTERIA)
- 🏅 Emerging Space Leader award
- 🏅 Luigi G. Napolitano Award
- 🏅 Amelia Earhart Fellowship
- 🏅 MIT’s Robbin Chapman Excellence Award
Aur yeh list abhi khatam nahi hui…
🎯 5. Why Akshata’s Story Hits Different as it talks about from government school to NASA,
- No IIT.
- No coaching factory.
- No super-rich background.
- Just burning passion, science ke liye pagalpan, and desi jugad.
She broke every stereotype. And then launched it into orbit. 🚀
💬 6. Tujhme Bhi Hai Spark – What You Can Learn
You don’t need a posh accent or foreign surname.
You need:
- 📖 Curiosity
- 💥 Consistency
- 🧠 Courage
“From government school to NASA, this Bengaluru girl now leads a Mars mission—proving that real genius needs no uniform, just grit and ambition.
Mars tak pahunch sakti hai, toh tera bhi number aa sakta hai, bhai.
Want more stories of Earth and beyond?
👉 Read: 7 Shocking Truths About Earth Day 2025 – You won’t believe #3!\📖 Read more such stories at Curious Cornor »
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“She reached for the stars—without ever forgetting the street she came from.”
Aur tumhare sapne kis baat ka wait kar rahe hain?
Share this if you believe that “genius has no uniform” — sirf spark chahiye, school nahi.
Also Akshata Krishnamurthy’s journey from a modest background in Bengaluru’s government school to NASA is more than inspiring—it’s revolutionary. She didn’t just reach Mars; she shattered stereotypes along the way.
Her story proves that the path from a government school to NASA isn’t just possible—it’s powerful. With dedication, curiosity, and self-belief, even the farthest stars are within reach.