The man, who made history by becoming the first Indian to enter space, now prefers to keep a low profile.
“If you looked at the beauty that was there, it was watching the sunrise and the sunset from space, it was absolutely wonderful.” – Rakesh Sharma.
Rakesh Sharma hardly requires an introduction as his name itself is an inspiration for every individual who dreams big and out-of-the-box. We all read about him in our school textbooks, and these days, whenever India achieves something great in space science, it also reminds us of his achievements. Because the first one is always special... isn't it?
On this very date (April 3) back in 1984, Rakesh Sharma (an Indian Air Force pilot) went into outer space and became the first-ever Indian citizen to enter space. He flew aboard Soyuz T-11 (as part of the Soviet Interkosmos program), launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, and spent 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes in space. To date, he remains the only Indian citizen to have achieved the feat.
(Credit: thebetterindia)
Well, Sharma's legacy goes even beyond this achievement. He is a legend, and his journey to space has been inspiring astronauts for decades. And as a human being as well, he is an example for many!
(Credit: indianhistorylive)
And here comes the question, what is Sharma doing these days? Well, let's find out!
After his retirement as a wing commander, Sharma joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 1987 and went on to serve as the chief test pilot in the HAL Nashik Division until 1992. Later, he worked as HAL's chief test pilot in Bangalore. He retired from flying in 2001.
Currently, the "space hero" is leading a simple and peaceful life away from all the media limelight. He lives in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, along with his wife Madhu.
Rakesh Sharma as an Air Force pilot
However, it's worth noting that Sharma continues to contribute to various of ISRO's space missions. For instance, he has been a part of ISRO's National Advisory Council for 'Gaganyaan' - the country's first human space flight mission.
In a recent interview with a leading news portal, Sharma recalled his journey to space, saying, "I think it was extremely exciting. Everything was being done for the very first time. One was full of expectations. And I must say, I was disappointed primarily because what I saw far exceeded my expectations. So I was really unprepared for the sites which were available to me, the kind of science that we did in space."
Rakesh Sharma in his space suit
Sharma also spoke about Gaganyaan in the interview. "I'm extremely excited that today, Gaganyaan is getting ready and we are on the cusp of really creating another historical moment. I believe this is going to be a lot more meaningful because here we are going to be launching an Indian launcher with the Indians on board from an Indian spaceport."
"This is something which is really worth looking forward to and worth celebrating because I'm extremely confident that this is going to be a very successful flight, God willing," he added.
Thank You For Inspiring Us, Mr. Sharma!
