The First Indian Astronaut Capt. Rakesh Sharma
Sharma, Harsha Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, a former Indian Air Force pilot, is the first Indian to go to space. Rakesh Sharma was born in Patiala on January 13, 1949. He joined the Indian Air Force in 1970 as a fighter pilot. During the Indo-Pak war of 1971, Rakesh flew for at least 21 times. He was the first Indian and the 138th person to travel in space.
On April 3, 1984, Rakesh Sharma went into space on a Soyuz T-11 with two Soviet cosmonauts, Commande...