If you are a prejudiced person, visit  space. It will help you get rid of your prejudice. This is what astronaut Sunita Williams believes. 

Ms Sunita Williams was addressing a large gathering at the concluding session of the 58th International Astronautical Congress 2007 here.  She said, “Gandhi could see that  we are one world without going to space.

But for the rest of us, especially those with prejudices, a visit to space will change us and make us happy to be here on earth.”

Sunita, who was dressed in a casual blue shirt and trousers, sporting an Indian earring, was full of gratitude to the Indians who had greeted her with “warmth” and provided her with a positive experience.

She confessed that she had believed that only smart people could become astronauts.  She quipped, “I did not think I was one! But it happened and it has been fun. So to all of you, if there is anything you want to do, just do it.” 

Up there, during her long six month stay at the ISS, she had felt comfortable. She added, “It is a great place. It makes you feel you are a part of the world, not any country. There are no borders in space. Similarly, there is no limitation to what you can do on earth. Man or woman, you can do anything to save the world,” she told the audience.

She also added that being a spiritually inclined, she was reading the Gita when in the ISS. “I would read about Arjuna’s dilemma and realise how minor my problems were. Every morning, I would look at my little fat Ganesha, who made me smile,” she said.  

On the way back, she yearned to be with her loved ones, especially her dog. “Now I look forward to helping the crew who are back there in the station. I would love to go back to space. But when I grow up, I would like to be a teacher,” she quipped with a grin! 

Narrating experiences of her “little adventure,” Sunita described  the excitement of her first glimpse of the planet from the shuttle. She found it was round just like Columbus had said.