Space Pioneers Rakesh Sharma and Shubhanshu Shukla join forces for climate action

When Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma peered out of his spacecraft in 1984 and described India as “Saarey Jahan Se Accha,” he could not have imagined that 42 years later, those words would bring him back this time, not to marvel at the view, but to protect it.

On Tuesday (February 17, 2026), Mumbai Climate Week 2026 will open at the Jio World Convention Centre. 84-year-old space pioneer Rakesh Sharma is set to share a platform for the first time with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who returned from the International Space Station eight months ago. Felicitating them will be Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar.

The three-day citizen-led climate platform, running from February 17 to 19, positions Mumbai as the first major city in the Global South to host an initiative of this scale, bringing together over 400 speakers from across the world.

“Humanity is experiencing life-threatening climate events caused by thoughtless overconsumption,” Mr. Sharma said. “As a species endowed with awareness, we need to work urgently on strategies that ensure the well-being of future generations,” he added.

Mr. Shukla, awarded the Ashoka Chakra this year after becoming the first Indian to visit the International Space Station in June 2025, put it starkly: “From orbit, the responsibility to safeguard our planet is not an abstract ideal. It is an urgent and visible imperative.”

Mumbai Climate Week, an initiative of Project Mumbai supported by the Maharashtra Government, MMRDA and BMC, is structured around three pillars: food systems, energy transition, and urban resilience.

Day 1 opens with a plenary titled “Rewriting the Climate Future” and features an Earthshot Prize evening focused on nature and food systems. Day 2 brings a fireside chat with Hillary Clinton, plenaries on sub-national climate action and climate finance, and concludes with the space session.

The two astronauts will anchor an evening session on Day 2 at 8:00 p.m. titled “Climate with Art/Sports/Cinema/Space,” engaging with school students and international delegations.

Day 3 spotlights winners of the MCW Innovation Challenge, with investor sessions for young changemakers.

International speakers include Hillary Clinton, Soumya Swaminathan, and Esther Finidori. Union Ministers Bhupendra Yadav, Pralhald Joshi, S. Jaishankar, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are expected. Business leaders include Noel Tata, V. Vaidyanathan, and the Godrej’s.

What sets the week apart is VaartaVaran a citizen speakers’ corner where anyone can share climate concerns through poetry, song, or storytelling. UNICEF and YuWaah are leading youth engagement, with Campus Roadshows and a Youth Green Innovation Challenge for those aged 16 to 24.

“Mumbai Climate Week is built on a simple idea,” said Mr. Shishir Joshi, founder of Project Mumbai. “When astronauts who’ve seen Earth from space share that experience with school students, it sends a message that every citizen has a role to play,” he added.

Entry is free for all climate enthusiasts. Registration is available at the venue or online.