Matsapha – The Ministry of ICT, through its Department of Research, Science, Technology and Innovation RSTI, launched Mission Shaktisat today, drawing strong focus from the High Commission of India, whose detailed address set the tone for the event and placed Eswatini’s 108 participating girls at the heart of a global scientific journey.
The launch took place before an audience that included Education Minister Owen Nxumalo, India’s High Commissioner to Eswatini Ram Prasad, Space Kidz India Chief Executive Dr Srimathy Kesan, Senator Savannah Maziya and partners from government, academia and industry. The selected learners attended the ceremony as the country’s representatives in a project linked to India’s Chandrayaan 4 lunar programme.
Mission Shaktisat is a global initiative led by Space Kidz India aimed at training thousands of high school girls from different countries in satellite design, space technology and basic spacecraft systems. The project will eventually contribute to the launch of an all girls spacecraft to a lunar orbiter, an achievement expected to form part of India’s Chandrayaan 4 mission.
During the unveiling of the official Mission Shaktisat poster, High Commissioner Ram Prasad delivered an extensive speech that celebrated Eswatini’s participation and placed it within the broader framework of India’s international partnerships. He said the ceremony symbolises the shared aspirations of India and Eswatini to expand technology, innovation and women led development, adding that the involvement of young girls signals a generational shift in global science.
He told guests that Eswatini’s decision to join the project and train 108 girls sends a clear message that the next frontier of scientific discovery will include contributions from young women in Eswatini alongside their peers in other regions. He further explained that the mission is supported by India’s long standing cooperation with the kingdom, which has provided scholarships, technical training and capacity building opportunities through programmes such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation initiative.
Prasad also described Mission Shaktisat as a programme built on values of inclusion and social justice, noting that it opens doors for girls who often encounter fewer opportunities in science and engineering. He said the hands on work in spacecraft systems, payload design, problem solving and team coordination will shape confidence and leadership abilities that can carry over into careers as engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs or policymakers.
He pointed out that the collaboration behind Shaktisat demonstrates what can be achieved when governments, universities and private innovators work together. He credited Eswatini’s local stakeholders for supporting the mission and enabling talented girls from across the country to take part, while organisations such as Space Kidz India contribute years of experience from previous student built satellite projects.
The High Commissioner also spoke about the significance of the mission’s name, Shakti, which represents strength in Indian culture. He said India takes pride in sharing this strength with Eswatini and other partners, while Eswatini now has an opportunity to position its youth within a new era of African participation in space science.
He added that the poster launched today carries the potential to inspire more families to support girls interested in science and technology. Prasad said that when Shaktisat eventually orbits the moon, both India and Eswatini will be able to look back with pride knowing that their daughters played a direct role in building and guiding the spacecraft.
Space Kidz India stated that it is honoured to collaborate with Eswatini and welcomed the presence of the High Commissioner and Senator Maziya during the poster launch. The organisation expressed pride in empowering young girls from the kingdom as they join this historic global mission.
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