PM Narendra Modi has written an emotional letter to Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams, who on Tuesday began her return journey to the Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) after being stranded there for more than 9 months, praising her and inviting her to India after her return, saying “it will be a pleasure for India to host one of its most illustrious daughters”.
In the letter dated March 1, which was posted by Union space minister Jitendra Singh on X on Tuesday, PM Modi said he had inquired about the well-being of Williams — who flew to the orbital lab on June 5 last year — when he met President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden during his visits to the US some time ago. In the letter, PM Modi told Williams when she was in ISS that, “even though you are thousands of miles away, you remain close to our hearts. The people of India are praying for your good health and success in your mission.”
On March 1, Modi met astronaut noted astronaut Mike Massimino at a programme and requested that the letter from him and the people of India must reach Williams. “During the course of our conversation (with Massimino), your name came up and we discussed how proud we are of you and your work. Following this interaction, I could not stop myself from writing to you,” the PM wrote. Wishing her strength and a safe return, the PM had reaffirmed India’s deep bond with its illustrious daughter. Sunita, in turn, touched by the gesture, expressed her gratitude to PM Modi and India.
Posting the PM’s letter on X, Jitendra Singh said: “As the whole world waits, with bated breath, for the safe return of Sunita Williams, this is how PM Shri Narendra Modi expressed his concern for this daughter of India. “1.4 billion Indians have always taken great pride in your achievements. Recent developments have yet again showcased your inspirational fortitude and perseverance,” the PM wrote in the letter.
In the letter, Modi said her mother, Bonnie Pandya, must be “keenly” awaiting her return. “I am sure that Late Deepakbhai’s blessings are with you as well,” Modi said, referring to her father, Deepak Pandya, who was a resident of his home state, Gujarat, and died in 2020. PM Modi also said he “fondly” remembers meeting him and her during his visit to the US in 2016. He also sent his “warm regards” to her husband, Michael Williams.
Sunita Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, flew to the orbital lab on June 5 last year, on what was supposed to be a days-long roundtrip to test out Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed flight. The spaceship, however, developed propulsion problems and was deemed unfit to fly them back. It returned uncrewed.
The two astronauts were then reassigned to the Nasa-SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which saw a Dragon spacecraft fly to the ISS in Sept last year with a team of two — American astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov — rather than the usual four, to make room for the stranded astronauts.
On Sunday, a relief team 1 Crew-10 — docked with the space station to make the way for Williams and Wilmore’s much-awaited homecoming, along with Hague and Gorbunov.
