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NxtWave's Podcast with Nitish Kumar (ISRO)

🏆 NxtWave (Academy) has an energetic student community of thousands of students who started learning early in college and aspire to build a great career in technology. [

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Through these sessions, we aim to engage students on different topics and help them build a better perspective on how these technologies can impact the real-world scenarios.

Duration - 60 minutes

Theme- AI, Space & The Future of India: A Conversation with ISRO’s AI Leader- Nitish K

Speaker profile

Nitish K

Scientist & AI Team Lead, ISRO

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology

IIT Madras

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Nitish’s LinkedIn⁠

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Host Profile

Avinash Dara

Head of Product, NxtWave

Ex- NVIDIA | iB Hubs | IIIT Hyderabad

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LinkedIn⁠

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Hi students, welcome to Academy Exclusive Podcast Series! Today, we’re joined by someone who truly represents the power of curiosity, innovation, and service to the nation. Mr Nitish Kumar, is the AI Team Lead at ISRO, where he works on cutting-edge projects in Generative AI, computer vision, and cognitive agents.

He’s an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology and has been at the forefront of using AI not just in space technology, but also in education and society. Welcome, Nitish! It’s an absolute honor having you.

Introduction & Career Trajectory

Nitish, many of our students dream of working in a place like ISRO. Can you share how your journey began, from studying avionics to eventually leading AI at ISRO?

We’d love to know — were there any unexpected turns or struggles in your career that shaped who you are today?

Looking back at your college days, if you had to share one decision that made the biggest difference in your career, what would it be?

Life at ISRO & Serving the Nation

A lot of us imagine ISRO as rockets and satellites. Can you share for our students, the enormity of what ISRO actually does and what’s it like working there?

speaker notes- can discuss about teams, projects at a surface level, work culture, etc

Also what does your day as AI Team Lead actually looks like, we’d love to hear — what does it feel like, on a personal level, to serve the nation through science and technology?

Could you share an anecdote or project that gave you goosebumps, where you felt — yes, this is why I do this?

We’d love to know — what’s it like when ISRO scientists present their work to India’s leaders? Any moment that felt especially memorable?

speaker notes- Can you share if you’ve ever had the chance to interact with someone like the Prime Minister, President, or other inspiring personalities through your work?

Since you lead AI initiatives at ISRO, let’s talk about how artificial intelligence is shaping space research

AI in Space Technology

Our students are highly enthusiastic and curious — can you share how AI is being used in space technology and research right now?

We’d love to hear one of those fascinating nuggets from your experience at ISRO— something like how satellites process massive amounts of data, or how AI helps predict space weather, etc

If students had one day inside ISRO’s AI lab or at ISRO, what kind of experiment would you encourage them to try?

Are there futuristic applications of AI in space that sound like science fiction today but are actually being explored?

Opportunities for Students in Space Tech & AI

Can you please share what kinds of opportunities exist for students to contribute to space research or AI?

We’d love to know — even if someone is from a non-tech background, are there ways they can still participate in this world?

Are there skills students can start building right now that will prepare them for future opportunities at ISRO or in AI? We’d love for you to give a roadmap on this for our students.

From Learners to Leaders in AI

You’ve often emphasized that students should not just ‘use AI’ but actually create with it. Can you share why this mindset shift is so important?

We’d love to know — in your own projects like Gyaan (AI chatbot for Govt. of Bihar) and ISRO Agent (chatbot for kids), what problem did you set out to solve, and the impact it created.

If you imagine 10 years from now, what role can Indian youth play in shaping the world of AI.

AI in Academics & Innovation with AI

A lot of students are experimenting with AI in their studies. Can you share how they can use it responsibly — not as a shortcut, but as a way to truly learn faster and deeper?

We’d love to know your thoughts on how AI can spark innovation in classrooms — maybe even ideas students can try right away.

If you had to give students one fun challenge with AI, something small but powerful they could build, what would it be?

Rapid Fire

If you could swap jobs for a week with anyone at ISRO, whose role would you pick?

If you could collaborate with one historical space scientist, who would you choose?

Mars mission or Moon Mission?

If you had unlimited resources for one dream AI project, what would you build for India?

A fact about space or AI that always blows people’s minds when you tell them?

Closing & Call-to-Action

Thank you, Nitish — this has been incredible. Can you share one final thought for our students that will inspire them after this podcast!

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