DH Web Desk
Rakesh Sharma
In 1984, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space, spending close to eight days on Salyut 7 after launching aboard Soyuz T-11. He spent nearly eight days on the Salyut 7 space station, conducting scientific experiments and remote sensing activities.
Credit: DH Pool Photo
Kalpana Chawla
Kalpana Chawla made history as the first Indian-origin woman in space, flying on missions STS-87 and STS-107. She tragically perished in the 2003 Columbia disaster, leaving behind a lasting legacy.
Credit: DH Pool Photo
Sunita Williams
Indian-Slovenian descent, Sunita Williams holds multiple records, including most spacewalks and spacewalk time for a female astronaut. She has spent over 322 days in space and continues to be a prominent figure in NASA's astronaut corps.
Credit: DH Pool Photo
Raja Chari
Raja Chari, a decorated US Air Force colonel and test pilot, took his first steps into space in 2021 as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission. He also completed a spacewalk in March 2022 as part of the mission.
Credit: Instagram/@astro_raja
Sirisha Bandla
Raised in the US but born in Andhra Pradesh, Sirisha Bandla soared into history as the third Indian-origin woman in space. She was part of Richard Branson’s Unity 22 mission in 2021, representing the future of commercial space travel.
Credit: Instagram/@sirishabandla
Shubhanshu Shukla
After a 41-year wait, India returns to space with Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla becoming the second Indian ever to travel to space and the first to reach the International Space Station. His mission represents a proud new chapter in India's space journey.
Credit: X/@SpaceX