Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian Spaceman on 2nd April 1984.

Wing commander Rakesh Sharma made a history on 2nd April 1984 becoming the first Indian Spaceman to be launched into space. He inspired a whole bunch of new generation and launched India into the 21st century.

He is a former Indian Air Force test pilot who went to space to combat mission in 1971 between the India and Pakistan war when he was just 21 years old. Under the Intercosmos program, Sharma was launched into space by the USSR (Russia) in Soyuz T-11 Spacecraft. He was there for a week after the spacecraft docked with the Salyut 7 Orbital Space Station.

About Rakesh Sharma

Rakesh Sharma was born in a typical middle-class family on January 13th, 1949 in Punjab, India. His father is a Bank staff and he did his schooling at the St, Georges Grammar School, Hyderabad. He then got a degree from Nizam college.

He then joined the National Defence Academy as an Air Force Cade in July 1966 in 35th batch.

Career In Indian Air Force Of Rakesh Sharma

He was later in 1970 was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a test pilot, he then flew a different kind of aircraft, including the MiG series and then bagged the rank of Squadron Leader.

Rakesh Sharma was selected to become a cosmonaut on 20th September 1982 for going into space under a joint program between the ISRO and Soviet Intercosmos space program, along with Ravish Malhotra, a wing commander. Both were sent to Russia for training.

Space Mission Of Rakesh Sharma

Rakesh Sharma was then selected as a part of the Indo- Russian Space crew team after the training in 1984. He then became the 1st Indian citizen to enter space when he launched the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 aboard from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. Later, Sharma spends seven days in the Salyut 7 Orbital space station. He conducted scientific and technical studies in bio – medicine and remote sensing.

The space crew then joined in a TV news conference with Moscow officials and then Indira Gandhi asked Sharma how India looked from the space, he then replied that it’s the best in the world. This bold reply and fearless attitude made him a real hero.