VAIKOM: Thirteen-year-old Shreyas from Vaikom has become the youngest Indian to discover asteroids. Shreyas is the son of Chemb Thekkechira native Girish and Chinchu. He is a 7th-standard student at Kakkanad Gems Modern Academy.

Shreyas' rare feat is in an online campaign in collaboration with the American space agency NASA. His achievement is also listed in the India Books of Records and is under consideration by Guinness Records. Shreyas has to his credit two of the more than 800 asteroids discovered in collaboration with NASA.

Interested in astrology since childhood, Shreyas joined NASA's e-research team in 2021. He became a citizen scientist of NASA in 2022. Shreyas discovered the two asteroids while serving as a member of the Milky Way Explorer team, which is a Mass India Observation Team. Shreyas's achievement is in the research conducted from February 5 to 29 in the campaign that started in January this year.

Named a star

Shreyas also got the opportunity to name a star discovered by NASA. Shreyas named the star as 'GSC Shiny Five Eight One One Two Nine'.