List of Indian Astronauts

Rakesh Sharma (First Indian Astronaut)/Image: BBC

With Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) planning to set four Indians into space by the year 2022. There are several Indians who have broken the sky cieling and being into the space. These Indian astronauts are

Rakesh Sharma
Rakesh Sharma is the first Indian to enter the Space. He represented India in the Interkosmos programme led by the Soviet Union space agency. He is also the only Indian citizen to enter the space. Rest are of Indian origin but not Indian citizen. He spent 7 days 21 hours and 40 minutes in the space.

Kalpana Chawla
Kalpana Chawla is the first woman of Indian origin to enter the space. She first flew in 1997 and again in 2003. She was the part of seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia 2003 disaster. She had spent a totl of 31 days, 14 hours and 54 minutes in the space.

Sunita Williams
Sunita Williams is the second woman of Indian origin to enter the space. She holds the record of most space walktime for any woman in space (50 hours, 40 minutes).

Ravish Malhotra
Ravish Malhotra is another Indian who was selected and trained for spaceflight in the Soviet Union’s Intercosmos program. He served as the backup for Rakesh Sharma. However, he never went to the space himself.