Business tycoon Anand Mahindra welcomed astronaut Sunita Williams back on Earth after her safe return from an extended stay at the International Space Station (ISS).
The Mahindra Group chairperson shared an old picture with Ms Williams from a chance encounter nearly two years ago and described her as “courage personified,” adding he felt enormously relieved after she returned home.
In a post on X, he wrote, “When the SpaceX rescue mission was launched, I recalled this chance encounter almost two years ago with Sunita Williams in Washington. It was an enormous relief to see her and her colleagues’ successful splashdown back on earth a few hours ago. She is courage personified and it’s good to have her back amongst us. Swagatam, Sunita.”
When the SpaceX recue mission was launched, I recalled this chance encounter almost two years ago with @Astro_Suni in Washington.
It was an enormous relief to see her and her colleagues’ successful splashdown back on earth a few hours ago.
She is courage personified and… https://t.co/E64p9YX5t3
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 19, 2025
The photograph, which also had tech entrepreneur Vrinda Kapoor and billionaire Mukesh Ambani, was taken in Washington in 2023 during the India-US Hi-Tech Handshake.
“We were trying to call an Uber when we ran into NASA astronaut Sunita Williams. Time for a selfie & we also asked if we could hitch a ride on her space shuttle instead of an Uber,” Mr Mahindra wrote back then.
“I suppose this was what they would call a ‘Washington moment’. After the tech handshake meeting yesterday, Mukesh Ambani, Vrinda Kapoor & I were continuing a conversation with the Secretary of Commerce and missed the group shuttle bus to the next lunch engagement,” he added.
I suppose this was what they would call a ‘Washington moment.’ After the tech handshake meeting yesterday, Mukesh Ambani, Vrinda Kapoor & I were continuing a conversation with the Secretary of Commerce & missed the group shuttle bus to the next lunch engagement. We were trying… pic.twitter.com/gP1pZl9VcI
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 25, 2023
On Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also welcomed Ms Williams back on Earth. “Welcome back, Sunita Williams! Your safe return after an extended mission aboard the ISS is a remarkable achievement,” the space agency said in a post on X.
“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.”
Adding further, ISRO wrote, “As Secretary DoS and Chairman ISRO, I on behalf of my colleagues extend warm greetings to you and wish you a great day ahead. When Bharat under the leadership of Hon’ble PM Modi ji is working towards making India a developed country, we wish to utilise your expertise in space exploration.”
???? Welcome back, Sunita Williams! ????
Your safe return after an extended mission aboard the ISS is 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…
— ISRO (@isro) March 19, 2025
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who were stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly nine months, safely returned to Earth following the soft splashdown of their Crew 9 Dragon Spacecraft off the coast of Florida on Wednesday. Their scheduled week-long stay on the ISS was interrupted by glitches with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
