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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called for Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, to be awarded to Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams following her return to Earth after spending nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Williams, along with fellow astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, had initially embarked on an eight-day mission, but a technical issue with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft prolonged their stay in space for nearly nine months. They successfully returned to Earth on Tuesday after months of uncertainty.
Splashdown confirmed! #Crew9 is now back on Earth in their @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/G5tVyqFbAu
— NASA (@NASA) March 18, 2025
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Mamata Banerjee’s Demand for Recognition
Expressing her admiration for Williams during a session in the West Bengal Assembly, Banerjee extended her gratitude to the astronaut and the rescue team that ensured their safe return.
Home sweet home. ?
NASA’s SpaceX #Crew9 touched down at Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston at 11:19 pm CDT, March 18, after their @Space_Station mission and successful splashdown earlier this afternoon.
Welcome home, Butch, Suni, Nick, & Aleksandr! pic.twitter.com/fbgWiU9ird
— NASA’s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) March 19, 2025
“On behalf of the Assembly, we express our gratitude to Sunita Williams. They endured a lot of hardships. Thanks and gratitude to the rescue team as well,” she said.
Drawing a comparison to Kalpana Chawla, Banerjee noted the dangers faced by astronauts in space missions. “Kalpana Chawla also went but couldn’t return. We have seen that when planes malfunction, they manage to return. I have heard that there was a problem with this spacecraft as well. Kalpana Chawla faced a similar issue. That’s why Sunita Williams and the others were stuck in space for months.”
“Sunita is India’s Daughter”
Emphasizing her Indian heritage, Banerjee passionately appealed to the central government to recognize Williams’ achievements with the Bharat Ratna.
“Sunita is India’s daughter. I urge the central government to award her the Bharat Ratna. This recognition will encourage her to continue her exceptional work in space exploration,” she said.
Sunita Williams’ Journey in Space
Williams and Wilmore were part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission, launched aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Their extended stay in space saw them complete:
- 285 days aboard the ISS
- 4,576 orbits around Earth
- A journey covering 195 million kilometers
The crew made a successful splashdown near Tallahassee, Florida, before returning to the Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston.
With Williams’ remarkable contributions to space exploration, Banerjee’s demand for her Bharat Ratna recognition has added to growing calls for honoring astronauts of Indian origin who make significant strides in space research.
