Driven by a steely resolve to realise his late father’s aspiration to see him in a key role in the task of nation building, Yellandu-based Kota Pavan Sai Teja, 22, a fresh engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, secured the job of a scientist or engineer at the prestigious Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Sai Teja lost both his parents in a fire mishap when he was in Class X but continued his educational pursuits with fortitude surmounting adversities.
After completing his SSC from a Yellandu-based private school and Intermediate from a Hyderabad-based private college with the support from well-wishers, he secured a seat in IIT-Delhi by virtue of his meritorious performance at the JEE (Advanced) exam.
He completed his B. Tech (Mechanical Engineering) with 82% this year and also got selected for Scientist/Engineer position in ISRO’s Bengaluru-based Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) in a campus placement drive held at IIT-Delhi recently.
His perseverance coupled with hard work has been rewarded with the great opportunity to work in India’s premier space agency.
His selection to the scientist/engineer post, a Group "A" Gazetted Post under the Central Civil Services, won him wide admiration from denizens of the coal town.
“It is a matter of great pride to get an opportunity to work in the prestigious ISRO,” said Sai Teja. “I am eagerly looking forward to joining ISRO’s HSFC, the hub for implementation of Gaganyaan Project and future manned missions,” he told The Hindu.
“I will get an opportunity to enrich my knowledge frontiers working with a team of distinguished scientists/engineers and also pursue higher education at selected few IITs and other premier institutes,” he said.
“My late father wanted to see me as a distinguished person and contribute immensely to nation building. I will do my bit for this endeavour of ISRO to harness space technology for nation building and help serve the cause of the common man. My father gifted me former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s autobiography “Wings of Fire” during my school days, which continues to inspire me to excel and scale new heights in academic and career pursuits,” the young techie remarked.
