IIT Delhi’s Dogra Hall resonates with admiration as Sunita Williams inspires with a space journey.

New Delhi, January 21, 2026: The iconic Dogra Hall at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) reverberated with admiration and respect as NASA astronaut (ret.) and U.S. Navy Captain (ret.) Sunita L. Williams visited the campus on January 20, 2026, captivating the audience with her remarkable journey in space exploration.

Delivering an inspiring talk titled “The making of an Astronaut: Sunita Williams’ Story,” Williams took the audience on a vivid journey through her space experiences, particularly her recent mission during Expeditions 71 and 72.

Her narrative made the vastness of space feel strikingly close, leaving students, researchers, and faculty members deeply inspired.

The lecture marked the inaugural Prof. V. N. Vazirani Institute Lecture, established in memory of the late Prof. V. N. Vazirani by his sons Vijay Vazirani and Umesh Vazirani. The event was attended by several senior dignitaries of IIT Delhi, including the Director, Deputy Director, Deans, faculty members, researchers, and a large gathering of enthusiastic students.

Sunita Williams met IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee:

During her visit, Sunita Williams met Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, along with senior members of the Institute’s administration. Prof. Banerjee highlighted IIT Delhi’s growing footprint in space technology and its ongoing collaborations with ISRO, underscoring the Institute’s contributions to India’s space ecosystem.

Reflecting on the present era of space exploration, Williams said,

“It is a very exciting time in human space exploration. Every new project has its ups and downs, but each one teaches us something and prepares us better for what comes next.”

Explaining the complexities of space missions, she emphasized the importance of observation and simplicity:

“We often work with multiple systems and redundancies, but sometimes the solution is not very complicated; it can be something simple if you are willing to observe carefully.”

Inviting the audience to imagine life without gravity, she noted, “When you take gravity away, you start to understand the nuances of how materials, medicine, and even human behavior change. That understanding helps us learn more about ourselves and the universe.”

The lecture was followed by a fireside chat moderated by Prof. Shilpi Sharma, Associate Dean (Academic Outreach & New Initiatives). Drawing upon questions from the IIT Delhi community, Prof. Sharma guided a thoughtful discussion that offered personal insight into Williams’ life—her childhood, discipline as a student-athlete and swimmer, teamwork, and coping mechanisms during long-duration space missions.

Sunita Williams advocated working as a team:

Reflecting on the influence of early life experiences, Williams said, “When you work as a team towards a common objective, you stop thinking only about individual success and start thinking about how the entire team can be better.”

In a moment that strongly resonated with the audience, she fondly recalled her experience with Indian food in space:

“Opening a package full of Indian food in space was incredible. What made it special was sharing it with my crewmates. Food has a way of bringing people together, even in orbit.”

Speaking about the unique perspective gained from space, she concluded with a powerful reflection.

“Looking at Earth from above gives you the ‘overview effect.’ You realize we are all living on one planet, deeply connected, and boundaries start to feel meaningless.”

For the IIT Delhi community, hosting Sunita Williams was not just an honour but an inspiring reminder of the limitless possibilities that arise from curiosity, discipline, teamwork, and a shared vision for humanity’s future in space.

Also Read: IIT Delhi’s batch of 2000 commits record Rs 70+ crore Pledge at Silver Jubilee Reunion.

EOM.