Sharma spent 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes aboard the Salyut 7

India became a sovereign nation in 1947, and within 16 years, i.e., 1963, the country had launched its first-ever rocket. Cut to 1984, i.e., 37 years after gaining independence, the first-ever Indian had reached space – the man was Indian cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma, a former Indian Air Force officer.

As Sharma turns 76 this January, let us recall the life of the cosmonaut and what he is doing now.

A war hero

Born in Patiala, Punjab, Rakesh Sharma joined the National Defence Academy air force plebe in July 1966. In 1970, Sharma had joined the Indian Air Force, and within a year, he had to participate in the Bangladesh Liberation War. Many may not be aware, but Sharma was a war hero who had flown 21 combat missions during the war as a MiG-21 pilot.

Sharma’s air force career spanned until 1982 as he progressed with promotion, becoming a squadron leader. In 1982, he was selected to become a cosmonaut for a joint venture between the Indian Air Force and the Soviet Interkosmos space programme.

The mission

After two years of intense training, Rakesh Sharma and the rest of the crew launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic on 3 April 1984. Donning a Sokol space suit in the Soyuz-T spacecraft, the crew docked and transferred the crew members to the Salyut 7 Orbital Station.

Sharma’s field was in bio-medicine and remote sensing, and during his 7-day, 21-hour, and 40-minute stay in space, he and his team had conducted 43 experimental sessions.

During his stay in space, the crew had a joint television conference with the crew in Moscow and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. During the conference, when the Prime Minister asked Sharma, “How was India looking from space?” Sharma had said, “Saare Jahan Se Achcha.”

With Sharma in space, India became the 14th nation in the world to send a man into space.

Later career & present life

Rakesh Sharma served in the Indian Air Force till 1990, retiring as a Wing Commander. Later, he joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and served as a test pilot till 2000.

(Credit- BBC)

After years of flying, Sharma chose to step away from the hustle and bustle of city life and now lives in the serene town of Coonoor, spending time with his family while enjoying hobbies such as gardening and golfing.

However, India’s first man in space continues to help ISRO, serving on the National Space Advisory Council for the Gaganyaan mission, which is India’s human spaceflight program.