On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the names of the Gaganyaan astronauts at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram. He emphasized that India is emerging as a prominent global player in the 21st century, demonstrating substantial progress across various sectors.
Prime Minister Modi declared that Group Captain P Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander S Shukla would participate in the Gaganyaan mission.
Expressing his satisfaction, PM Modi remarked, “I am delighted to learn that the majority of the equipment utilized in Gaganyaan is manufactured in India. It’s a remarkable coincidence that as India is ascending to become one of the top three economies globally, our Gaganyaan mission is also poised to elevate our space sector to unprecedented heights.”
Views from the #Indian astronauts’ training programme during their time in Russia.
• Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair
• Group Captain Ajit Krishnan
• Group Captain Angad Prathap
• Wing Commander Shubhansku Shukla#Gaganyaan #ISRO pic.twitter.com/833zX4nLJG— ISRO InSight (@ISROSight) February 27, 2024
Know the Heroes!
Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, a native of Kerala, underwent training in Russia for the human space flight mission. According to a report in the Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi, he completed his education at the National Defence Academy and began his career in the Air Force as a commissioned officer in 1999. The report further states that he serves as a fighter pilot, operating Sukhoi warplanes.
Ajit Krishnan, a Group Captain, has been selected as one of the four individuals chosen for the mission. According to reports, it is anticipated that two or three out of these four crew members will eventually be chosen to participate in the space mission.
Angad Prathap, holding the rank of Group Captain, underwent training alongside the other three members of the team in Russia for 13 months, according to information provided by ISRO.
Shubhanshu Shukla, serving as a Wing Commander, has also received training at Moscow’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in various aspects of space maneuvers.
