Rakesh Sharma

Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, AC (born 13 January 1949) is a former Indian Air Force pilot who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 with the Soviet Interkosmos programme. He is the only Indian citizen to travel in space, although there have been other astronauts with an Indian background who were not Indian citizens.[1][2]

For other people named Rakesh Sharma, see Rakesh Sharma (disambiguation).

Wing Commander

Rakesh Sharma

AC
Rakesh Sharma, as a Squadron Leader in military uniform
Born (1949-01-13) 13 January 1949
Patiala, Patiala and East Punjab States Union, India
OccupationTest pilot at the Indian Air Force
Awards Ashok Chakra
Hero of the Soviet Union
Space career
Time in space
7d 21h 40m
Selection1982
MissionsSoyuz T-11 / Soyuz T-10
Mission insignia
Military career
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Air Force
Rank Wing Commander
Spouse(s)Madhu
Children2

Early life

Born on 13 January 1949 in Patiala of present-day Punjab, India,[3] Sharma attended St. Georges Grammar School, Hyderabad[3] and graduated from Nizam College, Hyderabad. He was admitted to the National Defence Academy as an air force plebe in July 1966[4] and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a pilot in 1970,[5] thereafter becoming the first man from India to go into space.

Career

An alumnus of the 35th National Defence Academy, Sharma joined the Indian Air Force as a test pilot in 1970 and progressed through numerous levels where in 1984 he was promoted to the rank of squadron leader.[3] He was selected on 20 September 1982 to become a cosmonaut and go into space as part of a joint programme between the Indian Air Force and the Soviet Interkosmos space programme.[6]

In 1984, Sharma became the first Indian citizen to enter space when he flew aboard the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic on 3 April 1984. The Soyuz T-11 spacecraft carrying cosmonauts including Sharma docked and transferred the three member Soviet-Indian international crew, consisting of the ship's commander, Yury Malyshev, and flight engineer, Gennadi Strekalov, to the Salyut 7 Orbital Station. Sharma spent 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes aboard the Salyut 7 during which his team conducted scientific and technical studies which included forty-three experimental sessions. His work was mainly in the fields of bio-medicine and remote sensing.[6] The crew held a joint television news conference with officials in Moscow and then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. When Gandhi asked Sharma how India looked from outer space, he replied, "Sare Jahan Se Accha" (the best in the world). This is the title of a patriotic poem by Iqbal that had been written when India was under British colonial rule, that continues to be popular today. With Sharma's voyage aboard Soyuz T-11, India became the 14th nation to send a man to outer space.[6]

Sharma retired as a wing commander and later joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 1987, serving as the chief test pilot in the HAL Nashik Division until 1992, before moving on to Bangalore to work as HAL's chief test pilot. Sharma retired from flying in 2001.[1]

Military awards and decorations

Sharma was conferred the honour of the Hero of the Soviet Union upon his return from space. He remains to date the only Indian to have been conferred this honour. India also conferred its highest peacetime gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra, on him and the two Soviet members of his mission, Malyshev and Strekalov.[6]


Ashok Chakra Paschimi Star Sangram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal
Videsh Seva Service Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal

Personal life

Sharma married Madhu. His son, Kapil, is a film director,[7] while his daughter, Kritika, is a media artist.

A biographical Hindi-language film titled, Saare Jahaan Se Achcha (formerly "Salute"), is under pre-production since 2018.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Cosmonaut Biography: Rakesh Sharma". Spacefacts.de. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  2. "Rakesh Sharma". Mapsofindia.com. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  3. "Rakesh Sharma". aerospaceguide.net. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  4. Tragedy and triumph in orbit : the eighties and early nineties. 195: Springer. ISBN 978-1-4614-3430-6.CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. "Service Record for Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma 12396 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak.
  6. Srinivasan, Pankaja (4 April 2010). "The down to earth Rakesh Sharma". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  7. "Kapil Sharma onsepvember 2019".
  8. "Farhan Akhtar Finalised to Star in Rakesh Sharma Biopic?". TheQuint. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
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