Question 1

True or false: He famously told Indira Gandhi that India looked 'sare jahan se achha' from space.

Accepted Answer

True. During a live call, Sharma quoted the patriotic song, making it one of the most iconic space quotes.

Question 2

True or false: Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian citizen to travel to space.

Accepted Answer

True. He flew aboard Soyuz T-11 in 1984, becoming the first Indian in space, a milestone for India's space program.

Question 3

True or false: Rakesh Sharma received the Soviet Union's highest honor, the Hero of the Soviet Union award.

Accepted Answer

True. He was awarded both Hero of the Soviet Union and India's Ashok Chakra for his historic spaceflight.

Question 4

True or false: Rakesh Sharma was a pilot in the Indian Air Force before becoming a cosmonaut.

Accepted Answer

True. He served as a test pilot in the IAF, flying MiG-21s, which led to his selection for the Soviet Intercosmos program.

Question 5

True or false: Rakesh Sharma spent over 21 days in space, a record at the time.

Accepted Answer

False. His mission lasted 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes; the 21-day record belongs to other cosmonauts.

Question 6

True or false: Rakesh Sharma's backup for the mission was another Indian, Ravish Malhotra.

Accepted Answer

True. Malhotra trained alongside Sharma and served as backup cosmonaut, though he never flew to space.

Question 7

True or false: He was the first person to grow plants in space during his mission.

Accepted Answer

False. Plant experiments in space predate his flight; Sharma conducted biomedical and remote sensing experiments instead.

Question 8

True or false: After his return, Sharma never spoke publicly about his space experience.

Accepted Answer

False. He has given many interviews and talks, though he remains private and avoids excessive media attention.

Rakesh Sharma Trivia Questions