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Gopichand Thotakura, an entrepreneur and pilot, has made history by becoming the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian citizen to travel to space. As part of a six-member crew aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-25 mission, Thotakura embarked on a brief but profound journey beyond Earth's atmosphere.

Shortly after crossing the Karman line—the internationally recognized boundary of space—Thotakura shared a heartfelt message with his home country. In Hindi, he said, "Namaskar, pyare deshvasiyon," which translates to "Greetings, my dear countrymen."

The suborbital flight, which lasted approximately 10 minutes, took the crew to an altitude of about 105 kilometers. From that vantage point, Thotakura described a "life-changing" experience, witnessing the curve of the Earth and the fragile, thin line of the atmosphere. He said the view was so stunning and overwhelming that it was hard to put into words.

Reflecting on the journey, Thotakura shared a powerful message of unity. "The moment you see the planet, the only thing you are thinking is that everybody should see it," he explained. "When you are up there, you see the Earth without borders... it makes you feel like a citizen of this planet."

A proud Indian, Thotakura carried a small banner with him that read "Mera Bharat Mahaan" ("My India is Great"). His journey marks a significant milestone for India in the new era of commercial spaceflight, following Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard a Soviet rocket in 1984. The mission also carried another history-maker, Ed Dwight, who at 90 years old became the oldest person to fly to space.


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