Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma

Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, AC, is a distinguished former Indian Air Force pilot and the first Indian citizen to travel in space. Born on January 13, 1949, in Patiala, Punjab, he flew aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984, as part of the Intercosmos program. During his historic flight, he spent nearly eight days in space, conducting experiments on bio-medicine and remote sensing. His reply to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s query about how India looked from space, “Saare Jahan Se Accha,” became iconic. Post-retirement, he continues to inspire as a speaker and advisor