- Published on April 6, 2025
- In Deep Tech
STEM’s Surge Has a Name: The Sunita Williams Effect
“During our time, the ratio was around 30 boys to three girls, but now it’s almost 50/50, and if not, it’s at least 40/60 in all the classes.”
Image by Nalini Nirad
- By Sanjana Gupta
In the small village of Jhulasan in Gujarat, a NASA astronaut is a household name, inspiring children and adults with her extraordinary achievements. Sunita (Suni) Williams is more than just an Indian-origin American astronaut to these people; she is a symbol of pride and aspirations.
In fact, her latest space mission has united the community in celebration, marking her return to Earth with as much enthusiasm as they would for a wedding or the festival of Diwali.
AIM spoke to Dineshbhai Bechardas Patel, the sarpanch of Jhulasan, who shared that Williams’ photo is displayed in every local school to inspire students. The community takes pride in her, referring to her as the village’s daughter.
Stories of Williams’ visits to India (in 2007 and 2013) have left
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Sanjana Gupta
An information designer by training, Sanjana likes to delve into deep tech and enjoys learning about quantum, space, robotics and chips that build up our world. Outside of work, she likes to spend her time with books, especially those that explore the absurd.
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