(September 5, 2025) At just 17, Geet from Delhi has already carved a remarkable space for herself in the world of science, innovation, and advocacy. She became the first Indian student to attend NASA Space Camp on a full scholarship and went on to win the coveted Right Stuff Award owing to her consistent efforts during the camp. She later founded Next Nebula, her own space education platform, pioneered biomedical research on microplastics, and authored Starstruck.
Interestingly, Geet’s journey into science didn’t start in a classroom or laboratory, but in childhood conversations with a toy she called Dolly. Those playful questions about the Moon, the stars, and gravity sparked a curiosity that never faded. ‘The more I learnt, the more I wanted to know. And that’s how my fascination with space began,’ she tells Global Indian. That early spark has since grown into a mission to push the boundaries of science.
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From Dolly to the Dussehra fair
If Dolly planted the first questions, it was an encyclopedia from a Dussehra fair that gave Geet her first real answers. “For the first time, I found out that the Moon wasn’t chasing me; it was just perspective. The stars didn’t vanish; they were hidden by sunlight. And gravity kept us from falling.” That book transformed casual wonder into active curiosity. It was a spark that only grew brighter with age for Geet.
Pandemic projects
The COVID-19 pandemic, while disruptive for many, became a turning point for Geet. At just 11, she refused to let the lockdown go to waste. “While many were hooked to reels or games, I used my dad’s old laptop to explore NASA and ISRO competitions, coding tutorials, and science challenges,” she recalls. Connecting with diverse people across fields, she realized that science was not confined to textbooks but was about “building, experimenting, and solving real problems.”
Making history at NASA space camp
In 2023, Geet earned a full scholarship to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s NASA Space Camp, becoming the first Indian student to do so. For a week, she trained like an astronaut, experiencing simulations, rocket design, mission control, and survival training.
But what set her apart was not just her technical competence but her resilience. “At first, it was intimidating being the only international student in my team. But I took every challenge as a chance to prove myself and to support others.” Her leadership, integrity, and teamwork earned her the Right Stuff Award, which was the first for any international student. “It wasn’t about being the smartest,” she says. “It was about consistency, responsibility, and encouraging my team to push further.”
Founding Next Nebula to democratizing space education
Returning from NASA, Geet turned her vision outward. In 2024, she co-founded Next Nebula with friends from India and Mexico. “When I was young, my biggest barrier was access to resources. I didn’t want others to experience the same limitations,” she says.
Next Nebula makes space education interactive and fun through AI, AR/VR, and gamification. “We have educated 1,000+ students from five countries and reached 20,000+ parents, teachers, and companies through workshops and events,” she adds.
Perhaps its most ambitious project is a partnership with Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, Jeff Bezos’ nonprofit. Together, they are launching the “Postcards to Space” initiative in India, enabling children from both urban and rural classrooms to send their dreams into space. “Space should not be a luxury; it is a right for everyone,” Geet insists. The first postcards are expected to fly aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket between late 2025 and early 2026.
Her partnership with Blue Origin was no accident. “I reached out directly,” she says. “At 17, I believed India’s 250 million students deserve the same opportunities as kids in the U.S. or Europe. They saw the clarity, preparation, and impact potential, and invited us to collaborate. It shows that if you’re prepared and you believe in the idea strongly enough, age is not a barrier,” she mentions.
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PlastiNOx: A biomedical answer to plastic in our blood
In early 2025, Geet turned her focus to a pressing environmental and health issue: microplastics. After learning they had been detected in human blood, she began developing PlastiNOx, a biomedical concept to filter microplastics using molecularly imprinted polymers embedded in a microfluidic chip.
“While there’s a lot of focus on how microplastics enter our bodies, there’s almost no research on how to remove them once they’re inside. PlastiNOx is my attempt to answer that question,” she explains.
The project was selected for presentation at UNEP’s World Environment Day 2025 at EXPO Osaka, where she stood as one of only two student representatives globally, and India’s sole voice on the issue.
A global voice for science and youth
Geet’s advocacy has taken her far beyond labs and classrooms. She was invited to speak at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, representing her initiative Next Nebula and the cause of women in STEM from South Asia.
She has also addressed CNN’s She Shakti event in front of India’s Vice President and Chief Justice, showcased her work at FAMEX Expo 2025, and was invited to the NASA Conrad Challenge Semifinals and the Hult Prize Finals in Mexico City.
Traveling abroad alone at such a young age was daunting, but Geet calls it empowering. “Being young, and being a girl traveling alone weren’t limitations; they were strengths that gave me a unique perspective,” she reflects. At the Conrad Challenge, she discovered the value of refining her ideas under the guidance of global mentors, while the Hult Prize Finals humbled her by showing the collective power of youth-led innovation.
Starstruck: Inspiring Young Learners
In 2025, Geet published her first book, Starstruck, with Bribooks. The motivational work captures her personal journey from Delhi to NASA, designed to inspire children to dream big. “I wanted kids to feel the same spark I felt with that first encyclopedia, the one my parents gifted me,” she says.
Balancing school and dreams
Balancing school with international projects is no small feat, but Geet sees them as interconnected. “I don’t see academics and my projects as separate; they feed into each other,” she explains. Careful discipline and prioritization help her manage time, though she admits there are days of overwhelm. “I treat balance not as perfection, but as consistency.”
Her family has been central to this journey. With a father who is a civil engineer, a homemaker mother who instilled strength and values, and a younger sister who is an artist, Geet has always had encouragement. “Their support is the foundation that allows me to pursue both my studies and my projects with confidence,” she says.
Stars and sustainability
As she prepares to finish Class 12, Geet has her eyes set on pursuing Astrophysics and Aerospace Engineering at a leading global university. Her vision bridges the cosmic and the earthly. “My dream is to contribute to both space exploration and sustainability, building technologies that help us among the stars while protecting life on Earth,” she tells.
A changemaker for her generation
Geet uses her opportunities to open doors for others, especially underserved students, showing that science is not a privilege but a shared right. “It wasn’t just the exposure or recognition that mattered,” she says. “It was the realization that if I could do this, then so could countless other young girls with big dreams.”
In a world grappling with complex challenges, Geet embodies a new generation of changemakers, turning questions into projects, ideas into solutions, and dreams into shared realities.
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