Yadgir to Barcelona, a journey of an aerospace engineer

Basavaraj Siddappa Sankin says poverty triggered a zeal in him

This is a tale of a village boy, who studied in a government school in Tumkur in Wadagera taluk of Yadgir district, achieving success to become the district’s first Space System Engineer abroad.

Basavaraj Siddappa Sankin (28), who was born in a poor agriculturist family in the remote village, is now working as Space System Engineer at AST, an American company based in Barcelona, Spain, after completing his one-and-a-half year Master’s Degree in Aerospace Science and Technology which provides advanced training in science and technology that are currently most widely used and applied in the fields of aeronautics and space exploration. He has been working there for the last three-and-a-half years.

When NRIs were returning from Spain to India due to COVID-19 outbreak, Mr. Sankin, who did not choose to turn then, sent an awareness message through a video clip from Spain during the lockdown. He tried to create awareness among his people and asked them to maintain social distancing and wash their hands often and stay home to prevent the spread of virus. He, however, returned to his village recently.

The journey from Tumkur to Barcelona has seen many a milestone: Mr. Sankin completed primary school studies at a government school in his native village before he joined a private college for PU at Gadag. Later, he completed Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering in Mangaluru. Then, he moved to Barcelona to study the Master’s Degree in Aerospace Science and Technology.

Poverty

“I was born to a poor agriculturist family of Siddappa and Gowramma, along with three brothers. Poverty triggered a zeal inside me and made me become an Aerospace Engineer,” Mr. Sankin told

The Hindu .

Mr. Sankin also has a plan to serve people of his village through video messages by guiding them how to prepare for higher studies. “Young students from rural areas should not suffer from any status-issues but they should come out with confidence and courage and achieve their goals,” he advised.

Grand welcome

Residents of Tumkur were curious to see the son of the village who had been away from home for five years when he returned. They greeted him in a grand manner and took him out in a procession to his house from the village entrance. His family members welcomed him by offering an Arati.

“Being an illiterate farmer, I am happy about my son’s achievement which I did not expect will happen when he was studying in my village. His hard work and commitment towards his studies have brought him success,” Siddappa Sankin, Mr. Sankin’s father, said.