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“I Grew Up Seeing Photos Of Only American Astronauts…”: Internet Fact Checks Anand Mahindra

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“I Grew Up Seeing Photos Of Only American Astronauts…”: Internet Fact Checks Anand Mahindra

“I Grew Up Seeing Photos Of Only American Astronauts…”: Internet Facts Checks Anand Mahindra (image-twitter/Advaidism)

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the four Indian astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission. The Mahindra Group chairman lauding the astronauts wrote on X that finally his wishes are turning into reality. 

He in his post said that he grew up seeing photos of only American astronauts and Russian Cosmonauts. Soon after his post went viral on social media. Netizens came reminding the businessman that India had previously ventured into space. 

Netizens exploded the comment sections with images of Rakesh Sharma and Ravish Malhotra, the first Indians to travel to space and their conversation with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

Anand Mahindra wrote in his post, “India announces the 4 Indian astronauts for the #Gaganyaan mission to space. I grew up seeing photos of only American astronauts & Russian Cosmonauts. They were inspiring but I used to wistfully imagine & wonder if & when I would ever see fellow Indians in those adventurous space suits—on their way into Indian Spacecrafts. That wish now seems to be turning into reality. And I hope it will stoke the imagination and the aspiration of a whole new generation of Indians!”

In response to Mahindra’s comment, one of the users wrote, “Most Indians grew up seeing this iconic photo of Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma & Wing Commander Ravish Malhotra. Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to go to space in April 1984, making India the 14th nation in the world to send a man into outer space. “Saare Jahan Se Accha.””

The user in his following post commented that Rakesh Sharma is also the first Indian to be decorated with the ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ award. “Erasing everything that happened before 2014 is now a trend in New India,” he added.

Another user shared the newspaper cutting of Time of India of an article titled, “Rakesh-our first spaceman’ and asked, “Did you grow up in America or Russia?”

Some netizens tweeted back with “Saare Jahan Se Achha”. This phrase was given as a reply to Indhira Ghandi’s question “How India looked from space” by Rakesh Sharma. “Saree Jahan Se Achha” is the title of a patriotic poem by Muhammed Iqbal that translates to “better than the entire world”. 

 

Topics
Anand Mahindra First indian astronauts Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission ISRO Rakesh Sharma Ravish Malhotra

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