From Gurukula to ISRO, Kannur youth’s unique journey to become a space scientist

Mangalore Today News Network

Kannur, June 20, 2025: Kannur native Govind Krishnan M, a Gurukula-trained youth will soon join as a scientist at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO’s lead centre in Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram. While his batchmates at Gurukula opted for priesthood, Govind, who is well-versed in Vedic studies, had different ideas.

“I am deeply aware of the common misconception that Vedic education limits career opportunities. People often think spirituality and science don’t mix. But I’ve proven they can. It’s all about balance and discipline,” says Govind. “In one phase of my life, I gave my best to Vedic learning, and in another, I gave my all to science. But I never completely let go of either.”

Govind’s educational journey is anything but conventional. After completing Class 4 at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Payyannur, he left regular schooling in 2011 to join the Bhramaswam Madham in Thrissur—a traditional Vedic school—where he underwent four years of gurukula education. “It was a five-year course, but I completed it in four,” he says.

The decision to initiate him to Vedic learning was made by his father, Hareesh Kumar, a former Indian Navy officer who took voluntary retirement in 2009. The family, which had been moving across naval bases in Kochi, Lonavala, and Mumbai among others, returned to Kaithapram in Kannur. Govind’s upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony) was performed while he was in Class 4, and soon after, he began his journey in the gurukula.

“The early days were tough, especially being separated from my family for the first time,” recalls Govind. “We were five students in my batch, and we chose Yajurveda." There were no books or visual aids—just oral learning from a guru. For the first four years, he was enrolled in a nearby government school, but only attended school for the final exams.

“Days at the gurukula started at 5 am and were filled with Vedic chants, spiritual routines, and strict discipline. Everything was scheduled. There was no written material. It was all about listening and memorising,” he says.

In the fifth year of his training, Govind began attending regular school again. He joined Vivekodayam Boys Higher Secondary School, Nadakkavu, for Classes 8 to 10, while still continuing to live and train at the gurukula. “My routine remained the same. Gurukula sessions would go on till 8.30 in the morning and till 9 at night, after school, and then I’d study school subjects till around 11 pm, before waking up again early next morning,” he says.

He completed Class 10 with full A+ grades and after that moved out of the gurukula and joined Alva’s College in Moodbidri, Mangaluru, for his higher secondary education. He enrolled for at a coaching centre for entrance exams and cleared both JEE Main and Advanced. His performance in JEE Advanced earned him admission to the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) at Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram, where he joined the BTech Electronics and Communication programme in 2021.

Throughout his academic journey—even post-gurukula—Govind maintained the spiritual practices he had learned. “I continued my routine for at least an hour a day,” he says. “Now, I just practise it—it doesn’t take much time. It’s like people going to the gym; while they work on physical strength or muscles, I focus on mental clarity, concentration, and memory.”

He adds, “The others from my gurukula batch went into the priesthood, as their families were traditionally involved. I’m the only one who took a different path.” While he knows a few basic poojas like Ganapathihomam and Thevaram, he emphasises that Vedic study does not automatically make one a priest. “To become a temple priest, you need to undergo additional training,” he says.

Govind, who will officially join ISRO in July after being selected through the ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) process—which now includes interviews and additional criteria—hopes to continue his spiritual practices even in his professional life. “I don’t know how much time I’ll get once I join, but I hope to devote at least an hour or two daily,” he says. “In the future, I’d love to teach children what I’ve learned, but I’m not sure when or how that will happen.”

“There’s nothing to lose in learning the Vedas. They’ve given me focus, discipline, and strength,” he adds. Govind’s father, Hareesh, works in a private bank in Kannur, and his mother, Suja, is a BA Music student. Govind also has a twin sister, Gayathri, who works as a physiotherapist in Mumbai.