‘Most illustrious daughter’: PM writes to Williams
On Tuesday, Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore commenced their belated journey back to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule.
New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a personal letter to NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on March 1, expressing his good wishes and greetings on behalf of all Indians, minister of state in the prime minister’s office Jitendra Singh told reporters on Tuesday, after sharing the letter on X.
Modi said 1.4 billion Indians took “pride” in the Indian-origin astronaut’s achievements and said it would be a pleasure to host her after her return from the International Space Station.
“Even though you are thousands of miles away, you continue to remain close to our hearts. The people of India are praying for your good health and success in your mission,” Modi wrote.
On Tuesday, Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore commenced their belated journey back to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule. A weeklong trip to the International Space Station in June turned into an eight-month-long stay for the marooned astronauts after the Boeing spaceship they flew in developed snags.
“Recent developments have yet again showcased your inspirational fortitude and perseverance. It will be a pleasure for India to host one of its most illustrious daughters,” Modi wrote to Williams, after a meeting with American astronaut Mike Massimino. Williams’s name came up during his conversation with Massimino, Modi said. Following this interaction, Modi said he could not stop himself from writing to the astronaut.
“It is heartening that the prime minister chose to write a letter to Sunita Williams, who is a daughter of India, on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” Singh told reporters after posting the letter on his X account.
Modi wrote that he had inquired about Williams’ well-being during his meetings with US president Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden. The PM also referred to Williams’s mother Bonnie Pandya, stating that she must be keenly awaiting her return.
Williams’s late father Deepak Pandya was an India-born doctor who was also an acclaimed neuroscientist. Her mother Bonnie nee Ursuline Pandya has written two books about the astronaut’s adventure in space. Modi, in his letter, also wished Williams and Wilmore a safe return back home.
