Welcome back Prez PM and others celebrate Sunita Williams' return to Earth

    New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined celebrities, politicians, scientists and others on Wednesday to celebrate the return of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams to Earth after nine months, terming her an inspiration for generations to come and lauding her determination.
     NASA astronauts Williams, Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov returned early Wednesday on board SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which splashed down in the sea off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida.
    For Williams and Wilmore, test pilots for Boeing's new Starliner capsule, an eight-day mission stretched to more than nine months as a series of helium leaks and thruster failures deemed their spacecraft unsafe. The spacecraft returned without them in September.
    The president said in a post on X that India's daughter and her fellow astronauts have inspired everyone with their perseverance, dedication and never-say-die spirit.
    "Congratulations to the entire team behind the safe return of NASA’s Crew 9 mission on Earth! Their historic journey is a tale of determination, teamwork and extraordinary courage. I salute their unwavering resolve and wish them excellent health!" she said.
    The prime minister said in his post that it had been a test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit for the astronauts.
     "Their unwavering determination in the face of the vast unknown will forever inspire millions. Space exploration is about pushing the limits of human potential, daring to dream, and having the courage to turn those dreams into reality...
Sunita Williams, a trailblazer and an icon, has exemplified this spirit throughout her career...," he said.
     The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) termed Williams' extended stay in space a "remarkable achievement".
    "A testament to NASA, SpaceX, and the USA’s commitment to space exploration! Your resilience and dedication continue to inspire space enthusiasts around the world," ISRO said.
    Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan praised the public-private partnership of NASA and SpaceX to bring back the astronauts.
    "I was watching, it was excellent. With private partnership, we can learn from this experience... This kind of operation can be successful with only private partnership."
     Ramesh Kapoor, professor at Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), said he hopes for the quick recovery of the astronauts.
    "They have been exposed to the harmful radiations in space and muscle atrophy and bone density loss also takes place... Normally it takes several months to recover they would get almost 95 per cent of the bone efficiency of the body strength. Lets all hope that they recover very fast. It was very pleasant surprise to see them very cheerful and waving hands at everybody who was around," he told PTI.
    Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal as well as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Trinamool Congress were among those who congratulated Williams.
    "The successful splashdown of #Crew9, accomplishing a challenging space expedition, is a testament to the power of human resilience. It is an inspiring demonstration of how even the toughest hurdles can be overcome with sheer courage, patience, and dedication," Shah said.
    Expressing his delight at the safe return of the crew, Singh said, "India’s daughter Sunita Williams and other astronauts have rewritten the history of human endurance and perseverance in Space".
    "Welcome back to Earth, Sunita Williams!" Kharge said, adding that the safe conclusion of the extended mission has brought a sense of relief and elation to 1.4 billion citizens of India.
    The TMC said in its post, "After nine months in space, our daughter has finally returned, filling our hearts with happiness."
    Messages also came in from several chief ministers.
    Gujarat's Bhupendra Patel said every Indian takes immense pride in Williams' connection to the country.
    "Their unwavering dedication and resilience have been a beacon of inspiration for millions," he added.
     A former US Navy captain, Williams, 59, was born to a Gujarati father, Deepak Pandya, from Jhulasan in Mehsana district, and a Slovenian mother, Ursuline Bonnie Pandya, on September 19, 1965 in Euclid, Ohio.
    According to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the astronauts' "extended mission, shaped by technical challenges, has left an inspiring legacy in space exploration".
     Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said Williams' incredible nine-month journey in space has been truly inspiring.
    Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra said Williams' return to Earth has provided him "enormous relief".
    "She is courage personified and it’s good to have her back amongst us. Swagatam, Sunita,” he wrote, while sharing an old photo with Williams.
     From the world of cinema, actors Chiranjeevi and R Madhavan congratulated Williams on her return to Earth.
    In a post on social media platform X, Chiranjeevi hailed the duo's return to Earth as both "historic" and "heroic".
    "WELCOME BACK TO EARTH. Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore!! HISTORIC & HEROIC ‘HOME’ COMING!!! Went for 8 Days to Space & Returned after 286 Days, after an Astonishing 4577 orbits around earth!"
    Madhavan shared a video of Williams coming out of the SpaceX capsule and said the prayers of the whole world have been answered.
    "After more than 260 uncertain days in space this is all Gods grace and millions of praying souls prayers being answered .. Great Job all at #spacexfalcon9 #nasa AND the entire crew. God bless you," he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)