NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, after a nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS), has returned to Earth. Her roots trace back to Jhulasan village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. The village celebrated her homecoming with prayers, yagnas, and festivities, as the astronaut’s ties to India run deep, with her father being of Indian origin and her frequent visits to the village.

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• Sunita Williams and her crewmate, Butch Wilmore, returned to Earth after their nine-month space mission.
• News of her safe return sparked celebrations in Jhulasan, her father’s village in Gujarat, with prayers, firecrackers, and aarti.
• Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, is of Indian origin, with the family roots linked to the village in Mehsana.
• Jhulasan, a village with a population of around 7,000, celebrates Williams’ connection to it with a small library named after her paternal family.
• Williams has visited Jhulasan three times after her space missions, most recently in 2013, and has donated funds to the local school.
• The village celebrated with an Akhand Jyot (eternal flame) at the Goddess Dola Mata temple, praying for her safe return.
• Williams had previously brought Indian items like samosas and Ganesh idols on her missions, expressing her love for Indian food and spirituality.
• PM Narendra Modi sent a letter praising her accomplishments and invited her to India, noting her status as a pride for 1.4 billion Indians.
• Williams shared a special connection with the late astronaut Kalpana Chawla, a friendship shaped by their shared Indian heritage.
• The astronaut is expected to visit India soon, with her family confirming plans for a trip in the near future.