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Wing Commander

Rakesh Sharma

Rakesh sharma.jpg
Rakesh Sharma, as a Squadron Leader in the Indian Air Force
Born (1949-01-13) 13 January 1949 (age 75)
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
Time in space
7d 21h 40m
Selection 1982 Intercosmos (India)
Missions Soyuz T-11/T-10
Mission insignia
Soyuz-T-11-Mission-Patch.svg Rakesh Sharma Chest Patch.svg
Military career
Allegiance  India
Service/branch Flag of the Indian Air Force Indian Air Force
Years of service 1970 – 1990
Rank Indian IAF OF-4.svg Wing Commander
Service number 12396 F(P)
Battles/wars 1971 Indo-Pakistani War
Awards Ashoka Chakra ribbon.svg Ashok Chakra
Золотая Звезда Героя Советского Союза.svg Hero of the Soviet Union
SU Order of Lenin ribbon.svg Order of Lenin
Medal For Merit in an Space Exploration (Russia 2010) ribbon.svg Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration"
Spouse(s) Madhu Sharma
Children 2

Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, AC (born 13 January 1949) is an Indian former Air Force veteran pilot better known as the First Indian to travel to the outer space. Sharma was part of the crew of Soyuz T-11, a joint venture between space agencies of Soviet Union and India.

Early life

Born on 13 January 1949 in Patiala of present-day Punjab, India into a Punjabi family. Sharma attended St. George's Grammar School, Hyderabad and graduated from Nizam College, Hyderabad. He joined the National Defence Academy as an air force plebe in July 1966 and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a pilot in 1970. He flew 21 combat missions as a MiG-21 pilot during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

Career

IAF 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. 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.

Cosmonaut

Nehru Planetarium costume of Rakesh Sharma
Back-up cosmonaut Ravish Malhotra's suit restored at Nehru Planetarium

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. The crew held a joint television news conference with officials in Moscow and then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. When Indira Gandhi asked Sharma how India looked from outer space, he replied, "Sare Jahan Se Accha" (better than the whole 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.

Post-retirement

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.

Military awards and decorations

Sharma was conferred the honour of the Hero of the Soviet Union along with the Order of Lenin 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. He also received the Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" from Russia.

The citation for the Ashoka Chakra reads as follows: {{Blockquote|Gazette Notification: No.57-Pres/85 dated 7th May 1985 Date of Award: 3 April 1984

Ribbon bar

Ashoka Chakra ribbon.svg
IND Paschimi Star Ribbon.svg IND Sangram Medal Ribbon.svg IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg IND Videsh Seva Medal Ribbon.svg
IND 25th Anniversary Independence medal.svg IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg SU Order of Lenin ribbon.svg Medal For Merit in an Space Exploration (Russia 2010) ribbon.svg
Ashoka Chakra
Paschimi Star Sangram Medal Sainya Seva Medal Videsh Seva Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal Order of Lenin Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration"

Personal life

Sharma married Madhu. His son, Kapil, is a film director, while his daughter, Krittika, is a media artist.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Rakesh Sharma para niños

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