Peoples Telangana

The first Chinese astronaut (called taikonaut by the Chinese) was Col.Yang Liwei sent into space by the Chinese space program in October 2003. This mission, Shenzhou 5, made China the third country to independently send humans into space. In all 42 countries, including Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Denmark, Malta, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Mexico and Cuba have sent astronauts/ cosmonauts to space. Besides Rakesh Sharma and before Shubhanshu Shulka several other Indians have been in space.  These are - Kalpana Chawla: The first woman of Indian origin in space, she flew on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-87 and STS-107. She tragically died in the Columbia disaster in 2003.  Sunita Williams: A NASA astronaut, she has flown on two long-duration missions to the International Space Station and holds records for spacewalks and spacewalk time by a woman.  Raja Chari: An Indian-American astronaut, he commanded SpaceX Crew-3 and was selected for NASA's Artem...

By Mohan Guruswamy  I recall a rainy day in Marredpally, Secunderabad, when I was cycling back home, a big car pulled up alongside, and the man on the back seat asked me the way to Jaisimha’s house. Ever the wise guy, I said follow the flow of the water, it will take you to the street he lives on and it is the biggest house on it. Marredpally is built on a slope. My father’s house was on the high end and the Laxminarasu mansion was on the last road, and all water concourses flowed towards it.  I looked a little quizzically at the man, so he told me he was actually going to meet Mr.Laxminarasu, but he was told to ask for Jaisimha’s house if he got lost.  By then all roads also led to his house. Laxminarasu, a wealthy contractor, was becoming the son’s father. This was just before Jai’s selection for the DK Gaekwad led tour of England in 1959 under DK Gaekwad’s when India got whitewashed in the series.  As a ten-year-old, I had seen him play for South Zone against Gerr...