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Rakesh Sharma (born January 13, 1949) was the
first India|Indian in space.  

He was a squadron leader in the Indian Air Force
and embarked on the mission in 1984.  The manned
space program of the Indian Space Research
Organisation has depended entirely upon Russia,
and the first Indian cosmonaut became the 138th
man into space.  He spent eight days in space
aboard Salyut 7.  Launched along with two other
Soviet cosmonauts aboard Soyuz T-11 on 02 April
1984, was then-Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma, a 35
year old Indian Air Force pilot.  During the
flight, Squadron Leader Sharma conducted
multi-spectral photography of northern India in
anticipation of the construction of hydroelectric
power stations in the Himalayas.

Squadron Leader Sharma and his backup, Wing
Commander Ravish Malhotra, also prepared an
elaborate series of zero-gravity Yoga exercises
which the former had practised aboard the Salyut
7.  Retired with the rank of Wing Commander,
Rakesh Sharma joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL) as a test pilot. He was based at the
Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in
Bangalore and worked on the indigenous HAL
Tejas|Light Combat Aircraft program. Current
status - retired.

astronaut-stub