From the quiet hill town of Chakrata in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun district to the icy expanse of the North Pole, 15-year-old Lucky Rawat is living what he calls a ‘dream’. The youngster is currently on board the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy, sailing towards the geographic North Pole as part of the 10-day Icebreaker of Knowledge expedition. One of 22 students selected from across the world, Lucky is the only Indian on the expedition, which gives students a chance to explore one of the world’s most inaccessible regions while learning about Arctic science and meeting peers from different cultures.
“It feels like a dream. To go to the North Pole and to be the only Indian on board, feels very special. There are nerves, excitement and this feeling of being in completely uncharted waters. Just thinking about how much I can learn makes me excited,” he said before setting off.
The Icebreaker of Knowledge is among the world’s most exclusive educational expeditions for school students. Participants aged 14 to 16 from 22 countries were selected through a rigorous three-stage process, with only one student chosen from each country.
“Knowing how difficult the selection process was makes it even more special. When I applied, I was nervous because the selection had three stages with tests. Only one participant from each country gets selected, so the chances were very small. But I have always loved exploring and learning about science. I have been reading books and watching documentaries all my life, so I had confidence in myself,” says Lucky.
Science, however, is not his only passion. A trained judoka, Lucky feels the sport prepared him for the challenge.“Judo is a competitive combat sport, and I feel the selection process was also like a combat. It needs discipline, but more importantly, the will to compete and not give up. I think what I have learnt as a judoka helped me through the selection.”
{{/usCountry}}Science, however, is not his only passion. A trained judoka, Lucky feels the sport prepared him for the challenge.“Judo is a competitive combat sport, and I feel the selection process was also like a combat. It needs discipline, but more importantly, the will to compete and not give up. I think what I have learnt as a judoka helped me through the selection.”
{{/usCountry}}For his father, Ram Singh, watching his son travel from their small hill town to the top of the world is a moment of immense pride. “Humaara beta Chakrata se North Pole pahunch gaya, isse badi cheez nahi ho sakti. Poore sheher ko ispe naaz hai,” he says.