Rakesh Sharma on the Transformative Power of Space Travel

Astronaut Rakesh Sharma, revered as the first Indian to travel into space in 1984, has shared his insights on how space travel alters the human perspective, encouraging a view that Earth belongs to everyone. His reflections came in a podcast released by the Ministry of Defence, coinciding with India's latest space expedition.

Sharma's historic 1984 space endeavor took him to the Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station, where he spent eight days. Fast forward to today, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla etched his name in history by joining a commercial mission to the International Space Station, symbolizing India's return to space travel after 41 years.

In his podcast, Sharma, who recited 'Sare Jehan se Acha...' from space, recalled his selection and training as a test pilot for the Indo-Soviet mission. Despite the technological advances since Sharma's analogue-era mission, he emphasized that the mental impact of experiencing space remains profound, fundamentally changing one's worldview.

(With inputs from agencies.)