SAMBALPUR: Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday unveiled Odisha’s first Boeing Sukanya STEM labs in Sambalpur district.
The Union minister said the Boeing Sukanya STEM labs were a crucial step in preparing the youth, especially the country’s daughters for future opportunities in aviation and aerospace sector. Three such labs were inaugurated by Pradhan on the occasion.
“India currently has around 2,500 civil sector aircraft and the number is expected to rise to 15,000 in the next decade. This expansion will require a new generation of pilots, engineers, technicians and maintenance professionals,” Pradhan said addressing the inauguration event at CSB Zilla School.
The labs are expected to benefit more than 3,000 students annually. While Pradhan physically inaugurated the STEM lab at CSB Zilla School in Sambalpur, the labs in Rairakhol and Kuchinda were opened via virtual mode on the day.
With the launch of the Odisha facilities, a total of 32 Boeing Sukanya STEM labs are now operational across India, collectively reaching nearly 20,000 students every year.
Pradhan emphasised that early exposure to aerospace education, aeromodelling and STEM learning would help students develop scientific temper, critical thinking and innovation. “The initiative would also help remove financial barriers for talented girls aspiring to pursue careers in aviation, including pilot training,” the Union minister said.
The STEM labs are equipped with experiential learning kits, digital tools and hands-on modules focused on science, technology, engineering, mathematics, aviation and aeromodelling. Students from classes VI to X will participate in activity-based learning, workshops and exploratory sessions, while also being encouraged to take part in regional and national STEM and aeromodelling competitions.
Pradhan underlined the importance of imparting education in mother tongue at the foundational level to strengthen conceptual clarity among students. President, Boeing India and South Asia, Salil Gupte said the programme is driven by the belief that equal access to education fuels innovation.
Rural Development and PR&DW minister Rabi Narayan Naik, Sports and Youth Services minister Suryabanshi Suraj, collector Siddheswar Baliram Bondar, Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo, SMC commissioner Rehan Khatri were present.
Launched in 2024, the Boeing Sukanya Programme has been implemented in partnership with Learning Links Foundation. It aims to increase women’s participation in aviation through education, skilling and scholarships. The project is being jointly supported with a contribution of Rs 40 lakh each from the Odisha government and Boeing.