The best-kept secret in India for the last four years is finally public. The four astronaut-designates—Group Captains Prashanth Nair, Angad Prathap, Ajit Krishnan, and Shubhanshu Shukla—are presented to the public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The four astronauts will take part in Gaganyaan, India's first human space expedition.
Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, the designated astronaut, is a native of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and was awarded the Sword of Honour at the Air Force Academy.
Ajith Krishnan, Group Captain, was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on April 19, 1982. He is an NDA (National Defense Academy) graduate. For that year, he received the Sword of Honor and the President's Gold Medal for his exceptional work at the Air Force Training Academy.
Ajith Krishnan's Career Background
On June 21, 2003, Ajith Krishnan received his commission into the Indian Air Force's Fighter Wing. In addition, he instructs aspiring pilots. In addition, he performs the difficult task of test-flying the newest aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
Over 2,900 hours have been spent flying by him. He has flown several aircraft, including the Jaguar, Dornier, An-32, MiG-21, and Su-30 MKI. trained at Wellington's Defense Staff Services College (DSSC).
The Indian Air Force-affiliated Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) included Krishnan in its roster of candidates for astronauts in 2019. Afterwards, ISRO and IAM shortlisted him for the final four. In 2020, he and three other selected astronauts travelled to Russia for basic training. In 2021, basic training was finished. went back to India and trained at Bangalore's Astronaut Training Facility.
At ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, on February 27, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the formal announcement of his inclusion in the astronaut team. This was the first time his name had been made public as a member of the astronaut crew for India's first space voyage.
Also Read: Who is Prashanth Nair, the Astronaut selected for Gaganyaan Mission?
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