Should Create Heaven Here Than Shifting To Another World: India’s First Astronaut

Bhubaneswar: ‘Earth is one family and this is how it looks from the space’ said the distinguished WG and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma on Wednesday.

He said, “We should try to create a heaven here rather than shifting to another world.”

Sharma said this while addressing the 6th lecture of Odisha Knowledge Hub (OKH) lecture series delivered in the conference hall of the state Secretariat here.

Sharma added, “Anyone who goes to space looks at his own country first, but soon it appears that there is no boundary between the countries and the entire world is one family and our destinies are integrated”.

Sharma spoke on the topic ‘Manned Space Flight: A learning Experience’.

Speaking of his learning, Sharma reiterated that environmental degradation of the earth caused by vehicular and industrial pollution was clearly visible from the space. He said unless pollution issues are addressed appropriately, the human race would extinct from the earth.

He further added that the growing consumerism of a materialistic culture would be the cause of the extinction of human race unless it is moderated by the wisdom of holistic living with natural eco-system.

Replying to the query of a student, Sharma said, “In recent days green coverage in some parts of the country like Odisha has increased but all the countries have to work together for maintenance of a balanced eco-system.”

With regard to future of the space research, Sharma said that all countries should collaborate together in space research so that wastage of resources in ‘re-invention of the wheel’ is saved and the earth is saved from the burdens of pollution.

Highlighting the outgoing maritime activities of Odias, which he termed ‘out of the cradle activities’, Sharma wished that the next space flight in search of another home planet for the man is launched from Chandipur in Odisha.

Development Commissioner R. Balakrishnan introduced the esteemed scholar to the audience and mentioned about contributions of Rakesh Sharma as a fighter pilot in Indian Air Force.

Balakrishnan said that during the Indo-Pak war of 1971 WG CDR, Rakesh Sharma successfully launched 21 Operational Missions on a Mig-21 aircraft even when he was less than 23 years old.

Development Commissioner further added that Rakesh Sharma was the astronaut in joint Indo-Soviet Space Mission-1984 which culminated in an 8-day near Earth Orbit Space Flight. Sharma was adorned with the awards like Ashok Chakra by Indian Government and The hero of Soviet Union as well as The Orders Lenin by Soviet Govt.

The highlight of the day was that the OKH lecture was extended to all the districts from where Collectors, Senior Officers along with science students from various educational institutions participated in it. Particularly, the students made several queries to the astronaut which Sharma replied happily while congratulating them for such intelligent questions.

The students asked questions relating to what one eats during space voyage, how to prepare for space flight, whether Allianz really exist, whether another home like earth for man is really possible in the universe, whether space research should be carried on at the cost of natural resources that are burnt and used in production and launching of the space flights etc.