Skyroot co-founder thanks Modi for nod to first-generation rocket builder

At IIT Delhi's 57th convocation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the surge of young talent in sectors like space, noting a young engineer who claimed to be the first in their family to construct a rocket. Skyroot Aerospace co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana identified the remark as a reference to his own journey and responded on X, thanking Modi for the acknowledgment. The brief post quickly attracted supportive messages celebrating Chandana and Skyroot's achievements.

Chandana, an IIT Kharagpur graduate, previously worked at ISRO before launching Skyroot with former colleague Naga Bharath Daka in 2018. The company marked a milestone in 2022 with Vikram-S, India's inaugural privately developed suborbital rocket, and achieved orbital success with Vikram-1 on July 18 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. His reaction highlights the expanding role of private enterprises in India's aerospace ambitions.