
Selling golgappas by day, studying by night: How a Maharashtra man chased his ISRO dream with sheer grit and perseverance
In a quiet village tucked away in Maharashtra's
Gondia district
, a young man once roamed the dusty lanes pushing a 'golgappa' cart from village to village. While others saw a roadside snack vendor,
Ramdas Hemraj Marbade
carried a dream far bigger than the sky above him — to one day work at India's most prestigious
space agency
,
ISRO
.
According to a report from India TV, by day, Ramdas sold golgappas to earn a living and support his family. By night, under dim lights and sheer determination, he immersed himself in textbooks, driven by an ambition that refused to be crushed by his circumstances. Today, at 25, he is living that dream — working as a
Pump Operator-cum-Mechanic
at ISRO's Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Rooted in Struggles, Rising Through Grit
Ramdas hails from Khairbodi village in Tiroda tehsil. His father, a retired peon from a government school, and his mother, a homemaker, had little to offer in material wealth — but gave him unwavering support and the spirit to persevere.
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency
Planet Spark
Learn More
Undo
Formal college education wasn't a luxury he could afford. After completing school at Ganesh High School in Gumadhavada and his 12th at C.G. Patel College, Ramdas pursued his B.A. privately through YCM College in Nashik. The finances were tight, but giving up wasn't in his vocabulary.
A Path Less Trodden: Skills Over Syllabus
Realising the power of
vocational skills
in opening doors, Ramdas enrolled in a Pump Operator-cum-Mechanic course at the
Industrial Training Institute
(ITI) in Tirora. There, he picked up vital technical know-how — from operating centrifugal and reciprocating pumps to water treatment techniques and oil equipment maintenance.
You Might Also Like:
'Lost a ₹1.25 lakh job to a car accident': Zomato rider's journey of struggle without complaints will strengthen your faith in humility and courage
This hands-on expertise became his ticket to the stars. In 2023, when ISRO invited applications for
apprentice trainees
, Ramdas applied without hesitation. He cleared the written exam in Nagpur in 2024 and aced the skill test in Sriharikota in August, 2024.
In May, 2025, a letter that once seemed like a distant dream became reality; Ramdas officially joined ISRO.
— IndianTechGuide (@IndianTechGuide)
From Local Streets to Launchpads
Now employed at ISRO, Ramdas contributes to intricate research tasks as part of India's space endeavours. His daily routine no longer involves spicy street treats but the precision and focus required in the world of advanced technology and national space missions.
The boy who once balanced steel plates on his golgappa cart now handles the complexities of pump mechanics vital to ISRO's functioning. His tale echoes far beyond his hometown — it stands as a soaring testament to ambition meeting action.
You Might Also Like:
How a PhD dropout became the Indian Forest Service topper: Kanika Anabh's journey of grit and persistence
An Inspiration Rising from the Dust
Ramdas's incredible transformation has become a source of immense pride in Gondia district. His story is not just about a job at ISRO — it is about hope, hard work, and never letting go of one's dreams, no matter how distant they may seem.
In a world that often looks for heroes in headlines, this young man from Maharashtra reminds us that true inspiration sometimes rolls quietly down the street, with a golgappa cart and stars in its eyes.
You Might Also Like:
ISRO vs Diwali rockets? Chairman V Narayanan recalls fireworks mishap during Google event speech

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's wife opens up about his school days, childhood, says he was a...
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla stands on the cusp of history as he prepares to set off on a space odyssey, marking India's return to space flight 41 years after his idol Rakesh Sharma orbited the Earth for eight days as part of the Soviet Union's Interkosmos programme. Lucknow-born Shukla, who goes by the call sign 'Shuks', is part of an ISRO-NASA-supported commercial spaceflight by Axiom Space which is expected to lift off for a 14-day sojourn to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Wednesday evening. However, the highly anticipated Axion 04 mission, which was set to launch on Wednesday after a series of earlier delays, was postponed once again due to a leak detected in the propulsion bay during a pre-launch test. Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, Shukla possesses fluency in both English and his native Hindi. His journey began when he was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in June 2006. As a combat leader and seasoned test pilot, he boasts an impressive 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. His ascent to the rank of group captain in March 2024 reflects his exceptional contributions. In a conversation with The Times of India(TOI) just days before the scheduled launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Kamna offered a heartfelt perspective on the journey. According to the TOI report, his wife Kamna, shared that Shubhanshu's dream of going to space began in 2020. She remembered that it was early in 2020 when the possibility of Shukla going to space began to feel real. At the time, one of the key requirements for the Gaganyaan mission was being a test pilot—something that applied to a very small, close-knit group. 'One of the criteria for Gaganyaan aspirants was that they had to be test pilots. It's such a small community that we were elated, because whoever it may be, he would be known to us. That small idea has become an incredible reality now,' Kamna was quoted as saying by TOI. At home, Shux is known for his disciplined lifestyle and calm determination. He enjoys staying fit, reading non-fiction, and spending playful moments with his six-year-old son. Yet behind this steady routine lies a bold spirit—one that made the remarkable leap from the secure life of a fighter pilot to the uncertain and demanding realm of space exploration. While speaking to the Times of India, Kamna stated, 'He loves his workouts, non-fiction books, to goof around with his six-year-old son. But when you talk about his fearlessness, he's taken immense risks. He left his life as a fighter pilot and stepped into the uncharted world of spaceflight. From making decisions in microseconds to doing delicate experiments in micrograms—it's a complete shift.' What she finds most remarkable about him isn't his trip to space, but rather his inner quiet strength. It's his extreme conviction – a way of thinking that does not allow him to quit. He goes back to simple wisdom, like Dory in Finding Nemo: 'Just keep swimming.' He retains a sharp focus on how to go forward, no matter how bad, he is very adept at problem solving in even the direst situation – thats where his brilliant mind shines. Regarding the rest of the Ax-4 crew, Kamna noted that their relationship has developed way beyond that of colleagues. She believes they are now bound as lifelong friends, sharing the unique experience of living and working together in microgravity. 'They call themselves friends for life. Their experience in microgravity will bind them forever. I'm so glad Shux found these friends—and all of them adore our son Sid,' she stated. Kamna and Shukla's tale goes back to their early school days; they have known each other since primary class, and they shared classrooms from Class 3 onwards. With the years they had in common, they gradually morphed into close friends. She recalls him as the quiet, shy student who faded into the backdrop. It's that same soft-spoken boy whom many now articulate as Shubhanshu, 'who's now inspiring so many people.' Being married to someone pursuing such an extraordinary mission inevitably involves long separations and moments lost to time. The emotional weight of missed milestones—particularly not being there for their son Sid's early years—has not been easy. It's something that has quietly left its mark, especially on Shubhanshu, for whom those absences are deeply felt. The journey, while inspiring, has demanded personal sacrifices that linger beneath the surface, shaping their shared experience with both pride and quiet ache.


Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
More comfort, safety: How Shubhanshu Shukla's space travel experience will differ from Rakesh Sharma's
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is likely to have a very different experience of space travel compared to Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to accomplish the feat in a Soviet mission way back in 1984. Shukla will become the second Indian in space as part of the Axiom 4 private mission, which was scheduled to launch earlier this week and reach the International Space Station (ISS), but has now been postponed. The intervening years following Sharma's trip have seen a dramatic evolution of technologies that have made human spaceflights safer, easier, and much more comfortable. There has been a spurt in human spaceflights in recent years, particularly with the arrival of private players, who have been instrumental in expediting the pace of technological change. This has also enabled a growing number of people who are not professional astronauts or linked to any space agency to venture into space. Both the hardware and software of human spaceflight have changed considerably. Computational ability and automation Today's spacecraft are more automated and require fewer interventions from the astronauts travelling inside. 'The computational capability of the spacecraft, indeed the entire mission, has increased several times over the last four decades. The kind of automations that are available to the astronauts now were certainly not there when Rakesh Sharma went to space,' said R Umamaheshwaran, the former head of ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru. 'For example, any small manoeuvres that were needed to correct the alignment of the spacecraft in the 1980s would have to be done manually by looking at the horizon and stars through the porthole. Now, of course, all of this is fully automated,' Umamaheshwaran said. Improvements in machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms have allowed scientists on the ground to create hyper-realistic simulations of space for astronauts, something not possible in the 1980s. 'These simulations can be very helpful in helping the astronauts with their decision-making process,' he said. Safe and healthier Spacecraft transporting humans are far safer now compared to those used in the 1980s and 1990s. The safety protocols are much more stringent, and the amount of acceptable risk has reduced drastically. For one, the spacecraft is now fitted with precise sensors that enable much better vehicle health monitoring in real time. 'Crew escape systems are put in place to avert any disaster at different points during the ascent. The mission can be aborted on the launch pad or even during the flight in case something untoward happens. In such a scenario, the crew module will have to shoot away from the vehicle at a speed that is faster than the waves of an explosion, but not so fast that the astronauts pass out. All of this requires accurate measurements of different systems and predictions on what could happen. This has really improved over the years, making spaceflight much more safer,' Umamaheshwaran said. Further, there have been several advancements in materials, resulting in safer and better spacecraft. The human-rated crew modules have since become double-walled (a spacecraft with two walls and empty space between them), which reduces the risk of explosions on impact with debris. The crew module designed for the Gaganyaan mission, India's first indigenous human spaceflight initiative, is also double-walled. It will have a pressurised inner structure where the astronauts would be seated and an unpressurised external structure with a thermal protection system. More comfort Space travel has, over time, become more comfortable for astronauts. Newer materials have enabled the designing of lighter space suits, which allow for greater mobility. 'There has also been a lot of research on the foods that can be carried to space. Different laboratories in India have also been working to develop foods such as biryani that can be carried to space,' Umamaheshwaran said. Shukla, for example, will be carrying aamras, gajar ka halwa, moong dal halwa, and rice for Axiom-4. This also matters in the context of Gaganyaan. Since its announcement in 2018, ISRO has been working on crucial technologies and processes, such as design and fabrication of the crew and service module for the astronauts, human rating the country's largest launch vehicle LVM3, testing crew escape systems, developing from scratch a the environment control system to maintain temperature, humidity, and oxygen and carbon-dioxide levels, and setting up a centre and training astronauts. India is also aiming to set up its space station by 2035 and send a person to the moon by 2040. 'This mission (Axiom-4) will give an Indian astronaut the experience of living and working in Zero G, which will help him train and coach the others before our own mission. In addition, he will be able to tell us whether there are any minor changes that can be made, say to the environment control system or the space suit on the Gaganyaan mission, to make the journey more comfortable. Anything we learn on Axiom-4 will help us in our mission,' Umamaheshwaran said. Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More


Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Rare autologous amniotic patch infusion performed in complicated triplet pregnancy; Mangaluru doctors intervene after fluid leak
MANGALURU: The medical team at Father Muller Medical College successfully executed a rare autologous amniotic patch infusion using the advanced AmnioSeal procedure in a complicated triplet pregnancy in a 40-year-old woman. The patient was referred by the department of OBG for an anomaly scan. The scan revealed a dichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy, with one monochorionic pair sharing the same placenta. The following day, the patient presented with premature rupture of membranes (PV leak) from one of the monochorionic sacs. The patient was managed conservatively, but the slow leak continued, and the amniotic fluid level reached critically low levels. Recognising the high risk of pregnancy loss, a novel regenerative approach, an autologous amniotic patch infusion to seal the leak and minimise immunogenic response, was suggested. This cutting-edge intervention involved harvesting the patient's own platelets through apheresis (a medical procedure that separates blood into its components), followed by a precisely regulated intra-amniotic infusion of autologous platelets and cryoprecipitate into the affected sac. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo The complex procedure was successfully carried out by the Fetal Medicine team led by Dr Muralidhar G.K, Dr Ram Shenoy, and Dr Prathima Prabhu, in close coordination with the obstetrics team of Dr Sujaya V Rao and Dr Joylene D'Almeida. The team overcame several critical challenges, including critically low amniotic fluid volume, complicating sac entry, avoiding injury to fetal parts and the umbilical cord during the procedure, risk of fetal bradycardia during prolonged intrauterine handling, co-twin movements, increasing procedural complexity, and risk. Despite these difficulties, the team completed the procedure with precision and care. Post-procedure monitoring has shown a favourable outcome, including the restoration of amniotic fluid, absence of infection, and continued fetal stability. 'This case represents a major step forward in regenerative fetal therapy,' said Dr Ram Shenoy, Professor and Head of the Department of Radiology, adding, 'Performing such a targeted intervention in a triplet pregnancy is exceedingly rare and no studies found to date.' This procedure holds promise in preventing preterm birth and its associated complications. Meanwhile, the patient continues to remain under close observation.