A memorial depicting legendary cosmonaut and other Russian pioneers of space exploration has been unveiled in New Delhi
A commemorative plaque depicting Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, was unveiled at the Russian House in New Delhi on Saturday. The event was held to mark the International Day of Human Space Flight, observed annually on April 12.
The sculptural plaque features the first cosmonaut in his spacesuit, alongside famed Russian aerospace pioneer Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and Soviet rocket engineer Sergei Korolev, who is widely regarded as the founder of the USSR’s space program.
“Yuri Gagarin visited India and received a very warm welcome. Until now, there was no memorial to him in Delhi,” said Elena Remizova, head of the Russian House in New Delhi.
Rajeev Kumar Jaiswal, Officer on Special Duty at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), recalled that in 1961, his country had no space program.
“India was struggling with hunger and poverty at the time. Thanks to long-term cooperation with Russia, we reached the stage where Rakesh Sharma went to space,” he said, referring to India’s first astronaut, who flew aboard the Soviet Union’s Soyuz T-11 mission in 1984.
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An exhibition of rare archival photos of Gagarin’s 1961 mission was also opened at the venue. Shortly after returning to Earth, Gagarin toured India, where he was welcomed by thousands lining the streets. He was hosted by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and honored with a parade.
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Addressing the ceremony, Russia’s Ambassador to India Denis Alipov lauded the enduring cooperation between the two nations in space exploration. “The exploration of space has always united nations. I am sure we will continue cooperation in manned missions, satellite navigation, and many other areas,” he said.
Alipov highlighted that Russia is working with India on its upcoming human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, set to launch next year.
The names of four Indian astronauts who will leave Earth as part of the country’s first manned space mission were announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February. Like Sharma, they were trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City near Moscow in 2020-2021.
Igor Koreshev, head of the Department for coordinating the international activities of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, said the Indian astronauts had learned to operate the Soyuz MS spacecraft and underwent winter and sea survival training.
“They studied the individual systems as well as how they function together in more complex operations. Practical sessions were carried out on the transport ship itself, where the trainees undertook detailed preparations for managing the spacecraft,” he told RT.
“As part of their training, they also practiced winter survival skills. This included learning the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency landing in forested or swampy areas during winter, as well as sea survival techniques in case the crew is forced to ditch in the water.”
Russian pilot-cosmonaut Denis Matveev, who took part in the ceremony, shared his experience meeting Indian gaganauts at the Gagarin center. “For now we feel pretty confident flying at low Earth orbit, but it’s time to move further – for example, starting with a lunar base or a lunar station, that’s a good point and that’s good cooperation between Russia and India,” he told RT on the sidelines of the event.
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The Indian Space Agency has been conducting several key tests, including validating its emergency escape system and recovery procedures, as it prepares for the full-scale manned mission.
In January, ISRO successfully completed the in-orbit docking of its SpaDeX satellites, making India the fourth country to achieve this milestone after Russia, the US, and China. This accomplishment is considered crucial for India’s future space endeavors, such as building its own space station and sending an astronaut to the Moon.
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