Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ family expressed their joy today upon hearing that she has safely returned to Earth after an unexpected nine-month stay in space.
“That moment was surreal,” said Falguni Pandya, her sister-in-law, speaking to NDTV. She was referring to the SpaceX Dragon spaceship that brought Ms. Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore back, with a soft splashdown off Florida’s coast this morning. Ms. Pandya also confirmed that Ms. Williams plans to visit India soon.
“While we don’t have exact dates, she will definitely come to India, hopefully this year,” Ms. Pandya shared. She added that Sunita Williams feels a deep connection to India, as her father, Deepak Pandya, was from Gujarat. “India is her father’s ancestral land, and she is very connected to it. She feels a lot of love from the people of India, and I know she will return—it’s just a matter of timing, scheduling, and logistics,” she said.
When asked about Ms. Williams’ extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Ms. Pandya described her as someone who always makes the best of any situation. “She is a role model for all of us,” she said. The family is now planning to spend quality time together, including a vacation.
Ms. Pandya also recalled sending Sunita her favorite Indian sweet, Kaju Katli, for her 59th birthday on September 19, while she was in space. “She was thrilled. I also told her about my trip to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, and she was very excited. She asked me to share everything about it,” Ms. Pandya shared.
Speaking from a temple after Sunita’s return, Ms. Pandya expressed gratitude to God for everything going well. She jokingly added that since Sunita was the first astronaut to enjoy samosas in space, she’s planning a “samosa party” in her honor.
Sunita Williams’ unexpected space stay lasted 286 days. She and Butch Wilmore were originally part of a mission to test Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on a crewed flight to the ISS, but when the spacecraft encountered propulsion problems, they were stranded. They were later reassigned to NASA-SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, which involved a smaller crew to accommodate them.
On Sunday, Crew-10 arrived at the ISS, making way for Ms. Williams and Mr. Wilmore’s long-awaited return to Earth, along with their fellow astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reached out to Ms. Williams, expressing his excitement to meet her in India. In a letter dated March 1, PM Modi recalled discussing her achievements with former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino during his recent visit to India. “1.4 billion Indians take great pride in your accomplishments,” he wrote, adding that her perseverance continues to inspire many.
He also expressed his condolences for the passing of her father, Deepak Pandya, in 2020, and extended his warm regards to her husband, Michael Williams. “We look forward to seeing you in India. It will be a great pleasure for us to host one of our most illustrious daughters,” PM Modi wrote, highlighting the pride the people of India feel for her.
