List of Indian and Indian-Origin Astronauts Who Made History in Space

India has produced many space heroes. Some were Indian citizens, while others were of Indian origin but held citizenship of other countries. Here’s a clear and simple list with details about each person.

Indian Citizens Who Went to Space

1. Rakesh Sharma

• Year: 1984
• Mission: Soyuz T-11 (Soviet Union)
• Details: Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian citizen to go to space. He flew as part of a Soviet mission and stayed on the space station Salyut 7 for 7 days. He was a pilot in the Indian Air Force and is known for saying “Sare Jahan Se Achha” when asked how India looked from space.

2. Shubhanshu Shukla

• Year: 2025
• Mission: Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), by SpaceX
• Details: Shukla is a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force. He became the second Indian citizen to travel to space after 41 years. He is part of a private international mission to the International Space Station (ISS). His mission includes over 60 scientific experiments, and it supports India’s future human space mission, Gaganyaan.

Indian-Origin People Who Went to Space (Non-Indian Citizens)

Others Worth Mentioning

• Anil Menon: Indian-origin American. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021, but has not yet flown to space.
• Ravish Malhotra: Indian Air Force officer. Trained as backup for Rakesh Sharma in 1984 but did not fly.