Story of Ravish Malhotra: IAF pilot who almost became first Indian in space

As India prepares to send its first astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) through the Axiom-4 mission, it's time to remember Air Commodore Ravish Malhotra (Retd), the man who trained to be India’s first spacefarer but never got the chance to fly.

Malhotra was one of two Indian Air Force officers selected for the historic Indo-Soviet space mission in 1984. While Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma went on to make history aboard Soyuz T-11, Malhotra, Sharma’s backup, remained on the ground, despite undergoing the same rigorous training in Russia's Star City.

“I still want to go to space,” Malhotra later told in an interview with NDTV, proving that his cosmic dream remains very much alive even four decades later.

Born on December 25, 1943, in Lahore, British India, Ravish Malhotra had a decorated career in the Indian Air Force (IAF). He was a combat pilot during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, where his squadron carried out critical air raids. He later trained at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and served as Air Officer Commanding at Hindon Air Force Station near Delhi.

Malhotra's training for space included learning Russian to operate equipment marked in Cyrillic, intense physical conditioning, and multiple parabolic flights on an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft to simulate microgravity. He also trained in sea survival, anticipating the Soyuz capsule’s water landings.

Despite not flying, he was awarded the Soviet Union’s Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1984 and the Kirti Chakra in 1985. After his military service, Malhotra ventured into the aerospace industry, founding Dynamatic Aerospace, which supplies precision parts to global aerospace giants like Boeing, Airbus, and Bell Helicopters. He retired from the company at the age of 75.

As India prepares to send an astronaut to the ISS, possibly marking a new era in its space journey, Malhotra’s story stands as a testament to dedication, perseverance, and grace under disappointment. His quiet but vital contribution continues to inspire a generation of space enthusiasts and future Gaganyatris.