HRD Minister Nara Lokesh with Kandula Jessie, the class X student from Dhavaleswaram selected for Mission ShaktiSat, at his residence in Undavalli on Tuesday.

| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) and Information Technology (IT) Nara Lokesh met Kandula Jessie, a class X student from Dhavaleswaram in East Godavari district, who has been selected for Mission ShaktiSat, the world’s first all-girls global lunar CubeSat mission.Ms. Jessie called on the Minister at his residence in Undavalli along with Mission ShaktiSat Director Srimathy Kesan. A student of the Zilla Parishad High School, Dhavaleswaram, Ms. Jessie is the only student from Andhra Pradesh among the 20 girls selected from across India for the mission.Ms. Jessie said the Atal Tinkering Lab at her school sparked her interest in science and experimentation. She said she had developed a passion for space science while studying in class VII, and that she completed 550 sessions across 21 modules as part of the Mission ShaktiSat programme. Expressing her happiness at being chosen as one of the 20 participants from India, she said her ambition was to become an aeronautical engineer.ప్రపంచంలోనే తొలి ఆల్-గర్ల్స్ గ్లోబల్ లూనార్ క్యూబ్ శాట్ 'మిషన్ శక్తిశాట్' కు ఎంపికైన తూర్పుగోదావరి జిల్లా ధవళేశ్వరానికి చెందిన కందుల జెస్సీని ఉండవల్లి నివాసంలో కలిశాను. ధవళేశ్వరం జడ్పీ ఉన్నత పాఠశాలలో పదో తరగతి చదువుతున్న కందుల జెస్సీ.. 'మిషన్ శక్తిశాట్' ఎంపికై రికార్డ్… pic.twitter.com/09LOxoOthf— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) July 27, 2026Congratulating Ms. Jessie, Mr. Lokesh said the Space City Cluster is one of the 22 development clusters being set up in Andhra Pradesh, and said the space sector offers opportunities for young talent. He praised her for bringing pride to the State and assured her of the government’s full support. The Minister also unveiled the Mission ShaktiSat poster.Mission ShaktiSat Director and Space Kidz India chief executive officer Srimathy Kesan, Sanskara Foundation president Jyothsna Tirunagari and K. Manimala, a teacher at Ms. Jessie’s school, were also present. Published - July 28, 2026 03:33 pm IST