Priyanka Das Rajkakati

From winning the school "all-rounder" award to being the on Forbes India 30 Under 30 list a decade later, Priyanka Das Rajkakati has a story to share: the pursuit of a childhood dream, on mixing three passions in one lifetime - science, art and space.

From winning the school "all-rounder" award to being on Forbes India 30 under 30 a decade later, Priyanka Das Rajkakati has a story to share: the pursuit of a childhood dream, on mixing three passions in one lifetime - science, art and space. Born in the Himalayan mountains, she grew up in Delhi (India), and moved to France at age 21 in search of fresh inspiration. She obtained a bachelor in Physics from St. Stephen's College (University of Delhi), and a double-degree in Science and Aerospace Engineering from Ecole-Polytechnique and ISAE-Supaéro, finishing her studies with a CIFRE Ph.D. on GNSS positioning from Safran and ISAE-Supaéro. Shortly after, she co-founded The Exploration Company and started its GNC activities. In parallel, Priyanka is an artist, and explores the art-science harmony through exhibitions and residencies, drawing inspiration from mathematics, space, scientific projects, her Indian roots and travels. She is also actively involved in #S.T.E.A.M. outreach through channels such as the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), the IAF Technical Committee on the Cultural Utilisation of Space (ITACCUS) and the Homeward Bound (Antarctica) environmental stewardship and leadership development programme for women in science. Through the Karman Fellowship, she aims to reach out to the youth and convey that the sky might be the limit - but the universe is only expanding!