I am proud to be an alumnus of the Japan Science and Technology Agency Sakura Science Program (SSP) under JST. In 2019, I visited Japan with six meritorious students from Uttarakhand, India. As a Physics and IT teacher, this journey became one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

During the program, we visited Nagoya University and interacted with professors, researchers, and students. We learned about advanced science, technology, and research culture in Japan. We also visited the Toyota Group research and development facilities, where we saw innovation, robotics, and modern engineering practices.

One of the most exciting experiences was traveling in the famous Shinkansen bullet train. It showed us Japan’s discipline, technology, and punctuality.

After returning to India, I continued motivating students to explore global education opportunities, especially in Japan. Many students became inspired toward science, technology, and higher education after hearing about this experience.

Recently, I also got opportunities for educational collaboration meetings with JST-SSP members in New Delhi, including interactions connected with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

The SSP program changed my thinking as a teacher. It encouraged me to promote STEM, ICT, innovation, and international collaboration in education. My future goal is to help more students and teachers from Uttarakhand gain global exposure and learning opportunities.