A Class 10 student from Uttarakhand’s Chakrata town has embarked on a rare scientific journey to the North Pole, becoming India’s only student representative in an international expedition that brings together young participants from 22 countries.
Lucky Rawat was selected for the ‘Icebreaker of Knowledge’ international scientific and educational expedition after clearing a three-stage selection process in which only one student was chosen from each participating country.
Rawat, who hails from Chakrata and studies in Class 10, is also a judoka alongside his academics. His father, Ram Singh, said the family’s pride lay not only in the achievement but also in the effort that went into it.
He said Rawat had successfully cleared a challenging online examination and the selection process before earning the opportunity to represent India on the international platform.
The 10-day expedition began from Murmansk in Russia and will take participants, aged between 14 and 16, aboard the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy to 90 degrees North latitude. The voyage will place the students among the limited number of people who have reached the North Pole.
“I am from Chakrata in Uttarakhand and have come here as India’s ambassador for this expedition. It is a 10-day expedition during which we will travel to the North Pole. We will be among the very few people who have actually reached the North Pole,” Rawat said.
Speaking about the selection, Rawat said reaching the expedition required clearing a demanding three stage process. He said representing India was a matter of pride and described the opportunity as a source of inspiration to pursue science, research and global collaboration.
The expedition is designed to give students first hand exposure to the Arctic, climate change, polar ecology, marine science and scientific research. It also aims to encourage knowledge sharing and cultural exchange among young participants from different countries.
For the hill town of Chakrata, Rawat’s expedition marks a milestone, with one of its students carrying the country’s flag on a journey that combines science, education and international cooperation at the top of the world.
