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The first Indian to step on the moon is Rakesh Sharma. Do you remember there was a viral video of a man who was asked “Upar se Bharat Kaisa Dikhta hai” (How does India look from above) by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to which he proudly replied, “Saare Jahan se acha, Hindustan humara” (The best in the whole world is India)? This guy was Rakesh Sharma. People know his audio and dialogue, but they often tend to forget his name. Astronaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma spent a week, 21 hours, and 40 minutes in space on the Salyut 7 space station. He joined the Indian Air Force as a Pilot in 1970.
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About Rakesh Sharma
Rakesh Sharma lives away from all the limelight of being the first Indian to step on moon in the Coonoor district of Tamil Nadu. Still, he manages to contribute to ISRO’s missions remotely, serving the Nation.
| Date of Birth | 13th January 1949 |
| Birthplace | Patiala, Punjab |
| Father | Devendra Sharma |
| Mother | Tripata Sharma |
| Wife | Madhu Sharma |
| Occupation | IAF Fighter PilotResearch Cosmonaut at ISROHAL Test Pilot |
| Awards | 25th Anniversary of Independence Medal9 years long service medalAshoka ChakraHero of the Soviet UnionPaschimi StarSainya Seva MedalSangram MedalVidesh Seva Service Medal |
Rakesh Sharma- Timeline
Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to back the “Hero of the Soviet Union award.” He created a history in India.
Also Read- What is the Full Form of ISRO?
| Year | Event |
| 1970 | Joined the Indian Air Force as a pilot |
| 1971 | Flew 21 combat missions in a MiG-21 in the Bangladesh War of 1971 |
| 1982 | Selected as a cosmonaut for a joint Soviet-Indian spaceflight |
| 1984 | Flew on board Soyuz T-11 to the space station Salyut 7 with two Soviet cosmonauts |
If you haven’t seen the video mentioned above, here is a reference for you.
Related Blogs
| First Indian Woman to Go to Space | Indira Gandhi |
| ISRO Future Missions: Cost and Objectives | Why Was Indira Gandhi Assassinated? |
| Who Killed Indira Gandhi? | What is ODL in IGNOU? |
This is all about the first Indian who stepped on the moon, Rakesh Sharma. For more content related to the different states of India, visit our Civics and Polity archives.