4 days ago
Earth has no borders from space: Shubhanshu Shukla features in new NCERT textbook
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), has been featured in the newly published NCERT Class 5 Environmental Studies textbook titled 'Our Wondrous World.'A stirring excerpt from his 18-day Axiom4 mission is included in the chapter 'Earth, Our Shared Home', highlighting a powerful message of planetary a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shukla described his view of the Earth from space, saying: 'After seeing Earth from outside, the first thought that came to mind was that Earth looks completely one; no border is visible from outside. It seems that no border exists, no state exists, no countries exist. We all are part of humanity, and the Earth is our one home, and all of us are in it.'advertisement
This quote aims to help young learners embrace global citizenship and empathy for the PEDAGOGY BEHIND THE TEXTBOOKOur Wondrous World is part of NCERT's 'The World Around Us' series and reflects the holistic educational vision of NEP integrates Science, Social Science, and Environmental Studies in a narrative that promotes ethical reasoning, environmental awareness, and experiential textbook includes chapters introducing innovations like DIGIPIN, a 10character digital address code system, to make geography and location mapping also guides students with practical content such as flood safety tips, health hygiene, food preservation techniques, and microbial concepts, enhancing life skills DIVERSITY AND INTERACTIVE LEARNINGBeyond scientific topics, Our Wondrous World celebrates India's diversity through chapters on cultural symbols, regional dance, national heroes, and unique places such as Majuli Island, the Sundarbans, and Hiware elements like nature walks, model making, journal writing, and interviews encourage students to observe, hypothesise, experiment, and conclude, fostering a foundation for scientific UNITY AND ENQUIRY AMONG YOUNG LEARNERSFeaturing Shukla's message underscores the textbook's mission to nurture young minds to think beyond borders. In the aftermath of India's growing presence in space science -- marked by Shukla's return on July15 -- this inclusion bridges modern achievements with ethical and global Class5 textbook offers an essential template for integrating real-world insights, national pride, and globe-centered thinking into early education -- guiding students to see their planet as a shared home without divisions.- Ends
