Rakesh Sharma is a retired Indian pilot and an astronaut, know if he landed on the moon and where is he now
Find out more about him.
India accomplished a remarkable feat by being the first nation to step foot on the Moon’s South Pole, as ISRO’s ambitious Chandrayaan-3 successfully reached its destination. Since then, greetings and blessings have come from all around for achieving this huge success after experiencing many hurdles.
Who is astronaut Rakesh Sharma first Indian in space, had he landed on the moon and where is he now in 2023
Soviet Yuri Malyshev, Indian Rakesh Sharma, and Soviet Gennady Strekalov preparing for the Soviet-Indian joint flight, in 1984.
Rakesh Sharma (center) was the first Indian to travel in space. He was given the "Hero of the Soviet Union" by the USSR. pic.twitter.com/NX40ov9nwK
— Gibin (@piebyfour) August 23, 2023
For the uninitiated, ISRO gave serious thought to the history of India’s last lunar mission, which encountered issues right before landing while getting ready for this mission. And when the efforts were successful, joy spread throughout the country.
However, in the middle of the joy, Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to reach space, has become the talk of the town. Even before the mission’s successful completion, he expressed his confidence in the capabilities of ISRO and Indian scientists.
Due to all this, many people are currently trying to find out more about Sharma. So, here’s what we know about him:
Who is Rakesh Sharma?
Rakesh Sharma is a former Indian Air Force pilot and India’s first astronaut. He has been in the news because people are currently remembering him as India’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully reached its destination.
He was born on 13 January 1949 in Patiala, East Punjab States Union, Dominion of India (now in Punjab, India). He is from a Punjabi Hindu Brahmin family. His father’s name is Devendranath Sharma, and his mother’s name is Tripata Sharma.
Rakesh Sharma completed his schooling at St. George’s Grammar School, Hyderabad. Later, he graduated from Nizam College, Hyderabad. He then enrolled in the National Defense Academy as an Air Force plebe in July 1966, and in 1970, he was commissioned as a pilot in the Indian Air Force.
He is married, and his wife’s name is Madhu. The couple also has a son named Kapil, who is a film director, and a daughter named Krittika, who is a media artist.
Sharma is currently 74 years old.
Today, Rakesh Sharma lives a simple and content life in Coonoor with his wife Madhu away from the media glare and limelight.
Rakesh Sharma has never been on the moon and is the first Indian to go to space.
His career
Rakesh Sharma rose through the Indian Air Force ranks, becoming a squadron leader in 1984. However, he accomplished a remarkable achievement in 1984 when he became the first Indian to travel to space on the Soyuz T-11 rocket. His 7 days, 21 hours, and 40-minute stay at the Salyut 7 Orbital Station was filled with research in biomedicine and remote sensing.
Upon his retirement as a wing commander, he joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 1987, where he worked as the Nashik Division’s chief test pilot until 1992. Later, he became HAL’s chief test pilot in Bangalore. He retired from his flying career in 2001.
Later on, Rakesh Sharma also held the position of non-executive chairman of Cadila Labs in 2021; this Bengaluru-based business specialized in intelligent automation solutions for insurance sector businesses. He played a significant role in the National Advisory Council for Gaganyaan of ISRO, which oversaw the Astronaut Selection Program.
The net worth of Rakesh Sharma
He has an estimated net worth of about $7 million.