Two Youths Build a MiG-29 Model Using Local Resources, Russian House Offers Scholarship

Kathmandu – An inspiring example of youth engineering initiative was witnessed at the Russian House in Kathmandu on Tuesday. Two talented students from KMC College, Babgazar — Pankaj Kumar Gupta and Pratik Chaudhary — presented a radio-controlled model aircraft styled after the legendary MiG-29 fighter jet to the Director of the Russian House, Anastasia Khokhlova.

The MiG-29 model, designed to resemble the real fighter, can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour. This marks the first successful flight test of its kind in Nepal. The young aviation enthusiasts, who recently completed their Grade 12 education, aim to inspire Nepali youth towards technical creativity.

Pankaj said, “Many ask what can be created using only local Nepali resources. I reply — this MiG-29 model. Nothing is impossible; it was assembled from materials available right here.”

During the meeting, the students detailed their development process, long-term plans in aerospace engineering, and requested support for further refining the project and promoting STEM education based on local resources.

Russian House Director Khokhlova praised their initiative and informed the students about Russian government scholarships for continuing higher studies in aerospace and related fields, highlighting this as a key opportunity for their professional growth abroad.