Rakesh Sharma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wing Commander
Rakesh Sharma
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Rakesh Sharma, as a Squadron Leader in the Indian Air Force
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| Born | 13 January 1949 |
| Status | Retired |
| Alma mater | National Defence Academy Air Force Academy |
| Occupation | Fighter pilot at IAF Research Cosmonaut at ISRO Test pilot at HAL |
| Space career | |
| Indian cosmonaut | |
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Time in space
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7d 21h 40m |
| Selection | 1982 Intercosmos (India) |
| Missions | Soyuz T-11/T-10 |
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Mission insignia
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service/ |
 Indian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1970 – 1990 |
| Rank |  Wing Commander |
| Service number | 12396 F(P) |
| Battles/wars | 1971 Indo-Pakistani War |
| Awards |  Ashok Chakra Hero of the Soviet Union |
| Spouse(s) | Madhu Sharma |
| Children | 2 |
Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma is a famous Indian astronaut. He was born on January 13, 1949. He used to be an officer in the Indian Air Force.
Rakesh Sharma made history on April 3, 1984. He flew into space aboard the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft. This was part of a special program called Interkosmos. It was a joint effort with the Soviet Union. He is the only Indian citizen to have traveled to space. Other astronauts of Indian origin have flown to space, but they were not Indian citizens.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Rakesh Sharma was born in Patiala, Punjab, India. He went to school at St. George's Grammar School in Hyderabad. Later, he studied at Nizam College.
In July 1966, he joined the National Defence Academy. He became a pilot in the Indian Air Force in 1970. He flew 21 combat missions during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. He was a pilot of a MiG-21 jet.
Becoming a Cosmonaut
Joining the Air Force
Rakesh Sharma joined the Indian Air Force as a test pilot in 1970. A test pilot flies new or repaired aircraft to make sure they work correctly. He rose through the ranks. By 1984, he became a squadron leader.
Journey to Space
On September 20, 1982, Rakesh Sharma was chosen to be a cosmonaut. This was for a joint space program. It was between the Indian Air Force and the Soviet Interkosmos program.
In 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian citizen in space. He launched aboard the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11. The launch happened from Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 3, 1984.
The Soyuz T-11 spacecraft connected with the Salyut 7 Orbital Station. Rakesh Sharma was part of a three-person crew. The crew included the commander, Yury Malyshev, and flight engineer, Gennadi Strekalov.
Sharma spent 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes on the Salyut 7. His team did many scientific studies. They performed 43 experiments. These studies focused on bio-medicine and remote sensing. Remote sensing is about gathering information about Earth from space.
The crew even had a TV news conference. They spoke with officials in Moscow and the Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. When Indira Gandhi asked how India looked from space, Rakesh Sharma gave a famous reply. He said, "Sare Jahan Se Accha." This means "better than the whole world." It is the title of a patriotic poem.
With Rakesh Sharma's flight, India became the 14th country to send a person to space.
After Space Travel
After his space mission, Rakesh Sharma retired from the Air Force. He joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 1987. He worked there as a chief test pilot. He retired from flying completely in 2001.
Awards and Honors
Rakesh Sharma received a very special award from the Soviet Union. It was called the Hero of the Soviet Union. He is the only Indian to have ever received this honor.
India also gave him its highest peacetime bravery award. This was the 'Ashoka Chakra'. The two Soviet members of his mission, Malyshev and Strekalov, also received this award.
Personal Life
Rakesh Sharma is married to Madhu. They have two children. His son, Kapil, is a film director. His daughter, Krittika, is a media artist.
See also
- Gaganyaan
- Kalpana Chawla
- Sirisha Bandla
- Ravish Malhotra
- P. Radhakrishnan
