Gaganyaan astronauts | IAF fighter pilots with distinguished service

They have experience flying a variety of aircraft including frontline fighters like the Su-30 MKIs and the MiGs

(From left) Astronauts-designate Shubanshu Shukla, Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan and Angad Angad Pratap. | Photo Credit: PTI

All four Gaganyaan astronaut-designates, whose names were announced here on Tuesday, were commissioned into the fighter stream of IAF and are test pilots. They have experience flying a variety of aircraft including frontline fighters like the Su-30 MKIs and the MiGs.

Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, born in 1976 and the oldest in the team, hails from Thiruvazhiyad, near Nenmara, in Palakkad, Kerala; Group Captain Ajit Krishnan is from Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Group Captain Angad Pratap is from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, while Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, who is the youngest, is from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair

Born in Thiruvazhiyad on August 26, 1976, he is alumnus of the National Defence Academy and a recipient of the Sword of Honour at the Air Force Academy. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 19, 1998. He is a Cat A flying instructor and a test pilot with approximately 3,000 hours of flying experience. He is also an alumnus of the United States Staff College. He has commanded a premier Su-30 fighter squadron.

Group Captain Ajit Krishnan

Born in Chennai on April 19, 1982, he is alumnus of NDA and a recipient of President’s Gold Medal and Sword of Honour at Air Force Academy. He was commissioned into the fighter stream on July 21, 2003. He is flying instructor and a test pilot with approximately 2900 hours of flying experience. He is also alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

Group Captain Angad Pratap:

Born in Prayagraj on July 17, 1982. He is alumnus of NDA and was commissioned into the fighter stream on December 18, 2004. He is a flying instructor and a test pilot with approximately 2,000 hours of flying experience.

Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla

Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh October 10, 1985. An NDA alumnus, he was commissioned into the IAF’s fighter stream on June 17, 2006. He is a fighter combat leader and a test pilot with around 2000 hours of flying experience.

All four pilots have experience flying a variety of aircraft including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, Mig-29, Jaguar, Dornier, and the An-32.

Correction: The year in which Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF was erroneously given as 1988. He joined the IAF in 1998. The error is regretted. This has been corrected post publication.