Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the names of four Indian astronaut-designates—Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla—popular south Indian actor Lena revealed that she is married to Nair, who hails from Kerala.
Taking to Instagram, the actor said they got married in a traditional ceremony on January 17, 2024, and that it was an arranged marriage. Lena said she was waiting for the prime minister to make the announcement of the names of astronaut-designates for Gaganyaan mission to reveal that she is married to Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair.
“Today, 27 February, 2024, our Prime Minister Modi ji Awarded the First Astronaut Wings to India Air Force Fighter Pilot Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair. It is a historic moment of pride for our Country, our state of Kerala and me personally,” she wrote.
“In order to maintain the officially required confidentiality, I was waiting for this announcement to let you know that I got married to Prasanth on 17 January, 2024 in a traditional ceremony through an arranged marriage,” she added.
Nair was born in Palakkad district of Kerala in 1976 as the second son of Balakrishnan Nair and Prameela. He is a recipient of the 'Sword of Honour'—an honour given to the best all-round cadet at the Air Force Academy.
He was commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF in December 1998.
"A Cat A flying instructor and a test pilot with approximately 3,000 hrs of flying experience, he has flown a variety of aircraft, including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Hawk, Dornier and An-32," a spokesperson of the Indian Air Force told news agency PTI.
Nair is also an alumnus of the United States Staff College and a DS at DSSC, Wellington and FIS, Tambaram, the spokesperson said, and added that he commanded a premier fighter Su-30 Sqn.