Rakesh Sharma is a former Indian Air Force pilot and astronaut who became the first Indian citizen in space.
Wiki/Biography
Rakesh Sharma was born on January 13, 1949 in Patiala, Punjab, India (age 71 as of 2020). He attended St. Ann’s High School, Secunderabad and later joined St. George’s Grammar School, Hyderabad. He graduated from Nizam’s College, Hyderabad and was admitted to Defense Academy, Kadakwasla, Pune. His zodiac sign/sun sign is Capricorn.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′6″
Eye color: light brown
Hair color: white
family, caste and wife
Rakesh was born into a Brahmin family of Gaur to Devendranath Sharma and Tripata Sharma. He is married to Madhu, an interior designer.
Rakesh Sharma and family
The couple has a son Kapil Sharma (film director) and a daughter Krittika Sharma (senior design associate and behavioral architect). They also had a daughter, Mansi, who died when she was six.
Rakesh Sharma’s son Kapil Sharma
Profession
Rakesh Sharma joined the Indian Air Force in 1970 as a test pilot. He rose through the ranks and was appointed Squadron Leader and Pilot in the Indian Air Force in 1984.
After being selected as a cosmonaut on September 20, 1982, he joined the Indian Space Research Organization and the Soviet Intercosmos space program. He flew on a Soyuz T-11 to the Salyut-7 orbital station together with the spacecraft commander Yury Malyshev and flight engineer Gennady Strekalov.
Rakesh Sharma and his fellow astronauts
It took Rakesh 7 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes to become the first Indian citizen in space. He retired with the rank of Wing Commander. He joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 1987 and served as Chief Test Pilot of HAL Nashik Division until 1992, after which he moved to Bangalore as Chief Test Pilot of HAL. He retired in 2001.
Awards and Honors
Rakesh Sharma receives honor
- Videsh Seva Service Medal
- 25th Independence Anniversary Medal
- 9 years long service medal
favorite thing
- Travel destination: Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu
fact
- His ancestors came from Multan in West Punjab (now Pakistan).
- Rakesh has been fascinated by the world of outer space since his childhood. Reflecting on Yuri Gagarin’s launch into space, Mr. Sharma said:
When Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space in 1961, I was a student and I read every word. “
- He was 18 when he joined the Indian Air Force in 1966 as a cadet.
- In 1980, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) asked the Indian Air Force (IAF) to select two astronauts for a joint Indo-Soviet mission. Wing commanders Ravish Malhotra and Rakesh Sharma were selected. For some reasons, the requirement was reduced to one person leading Rakesh to complete the task.
Rakesh Sharma and Ravish Malhotra pose with Indira Gandhi
- Rakesh underwent rigorous training for about three years before embarking on his journey into space. He was kept in a closed room at the Air Force facility in Bengaluru for 72 hours to test potential claustrophobia. He had to learn Russian because most of the instruction was in Russian.
- Rakesh Sharma and Ravish Malhotra practice yoga
- He even practices “zero-gravity yoga” to deal with airsickness.
- While he was training for a space mission in Moscow, he heard the news of the tragic death of his daughter Mansi. Despite this, he continued his training and became the first Indian in space.
- His work in space was to conduct experiments, mainly in the fields of biomedicine and remote sensing. He also conducted life science and materials processing experiments, including silicon fusion testing.
- At a joint meeting in Moscow, then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked Rakesh what India looked like from space and the reply was “Saare Jahaan Se Achaa (The best in the world)”.
- Soon after returning to Earth, Rakesh became a hot topic in the media. in India and abroad. His daily routine includes press conferences, interactions, seminars, interviews, etc.
- Rakesh Sharma interviewed
- Even with all his achievements, he displayed a humble character and said:
I’m really grateful for the opportunity to go into space. However, it could be anyone. It’s like a lottery, Meri Lag Gyi. “
- His achievements were soon tempered by anti-Sikh riots triggered by the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984.
- While testing a MIG-21 fighter jet near Ozar, Nashik, he lost control, resulting in a technical malfunction. Fortunately, he ejected from the jet at the last moment.
- Many people believe that Rakesh Sharma was the first man to walk on the moon, but he was only the first Indian in space.
- After retiring from HAL, Rakesh settled in Coonoor to stay away from city life. He fell in love with the Nilgiri Mountains at the age of 15 when he visited his uncle alone.
- He is close to former Air Force officer Ravish Malhotra.
- His son Kapil Sharma is a Bollywood film director who directed the film “I, Me Aur Main” (2013).
- Rakesh said he wanted to go into space again, but this time just to travel and explore.
- While he was in space, he reported that there was a fire in Burma.
- There are reports that Rakesh Sharma’s biopic Tribute will be released in Bollywood and will be the directorial debut of Mahesh Mathai. Initially, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan were considered for the lead role, but both actors have left the project.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education