Under the Stars: Jashapreet's Cosmic Path
I am Jashapreet Singh Dingra, founder of the first astronomy club, Dingrastro Club, in my city. My journey in astronomy has earned me international and national recognition, including a recent certification as an ISRO space tutor. But how did it all start? The answer lies with my grandmother. During childhood summers, I'd lie on the roof with her, surrounded by nothing but twinkling stars. Her spiritual presence soothed me with bedtime prayers, yet my fascination was drawn to the celestial diamonds above, igniting my cosmic curiosity.
Physics became my passion, nurtured by teachers who often hailed me as a young scientist for my enthusiasm about space. The sixth grade introduced me to a Physics teacher, now in Canada, who mentored me for a year, setting me firmly on this cosmic path. Secondary school offered a lighter load, allowing me to explore an astrophysics course on edX by ANU, unveiling the mysteries of spectrum, redshift, and gravitational lensing.
The departure of my beloved physics teacher to Canada saddened me, yet we've remained connected. A few years later, my maternal uncle gifted me my first telescope, deepening my love for astronomy. The lockdown period became a period of enlightenment; I immersed myself in YouTube, mastering languages like Python, HTML, CSS, Php, and Js. Python, in particular, became my gateway to astronomical analysis, especially focused on SDSS and AGNs.
Amidst this exploration, achievements adorned my journey—a bronze in IAAC, a runner-up in the South Down astrophotography competition, and a shortlisting for the Young category in APY. I got featured on BBC and Forbes that year. I formed friendships worldwide within this field, and a guiding light appeared in the form of a professor from IIT Delhi, whose mentorship I deeply cherish.
Now, as an NSEA scholar in 2023, my path leads to a pursuit of a BSc in Physics, inching closer to my ultimate cosmic aspirations.