Prayers, rituals and hope: Inside Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams’ Gujarat home before her landing

AHMEDABAD: Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams beamed with joy as she stepped out of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, waving and smiling after successfully returning to Earth following an extended nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Williams, along with fellow NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, safely landed after their unexpectedly prolonged stay in space.
Before her landing, Williams’ family in India had been anxiously counting down the hours, with prayers on their lips for her safe return. In Ahmedabad, her cousin Dinesh Rawal had expressed concern over her safety due to the Boeing Starliner’s technical issues, which had delayed her return.
"I had met her before her space flight in June 2024 in the US while visiting my children who live in New Jersey. We had spent three days together and Suni had enjoyed Gujarati food. She held my hand and mentioned to me that my hand reminded her of her father," said Rawal. Sunita's father, Deepak Pandya, passed away in 2020.
Rawal had also mentioned that his health prevented immediate travel to the US, but he planned to speak to her after NASA’s post-landing protocols were completed. "She had connected with the family members, including my son Nilesh, via video call from the ISS and assured us that she was doing fine. Although we know that the operations are proceeding normally, our prayers will continue until she touches down safely," he had said.
In her father’s native village of Jhulasan in Mehsana district, the Neelkanth Mahadev temple had been organising 108 Rudri Yagnas for her safety. Ajay Goswami, the temple priest, had shared that Sunita had visited the temple when she was in Gujarat.
"We hold yagna rituals every Sunday and chanting sessions every Monday for her safe return. We have completed 71 yagnas so far and will finish all 108 as planned, even after her return. She has put our village on the world map, and we are proud of her achievements," Goswami had said.
Now, with her safe return, the family is relieved and overjoyed. Rawal reiterated that Williams has made her family and country proud with her achievements. He fondly recalled her deep connection to India, her love for Gujarati culture, and her past visits to Ahmedabad, Dwarka, and Jhulasan.
"We have photo albums showing her riding camels, building sandcastles on Dwarka's beaches and exploring Ahmedabad's old city. She enjoys Gujarati cuisine. Even at her wedding, traditional delicacies like laddus and fulwadi were served," he said.
Rawal said he plans to invite her to Gujarat again. "We will take her to Jhulasan and the temples she visited previously. She exemplifies grit, fearlessness, and determination, making her the perfect role model for girls. During a trip to Jaipur, she arrived late, and we got worried. When she finally joined us, she reminded us that her military training had helped her become self-reliant," Rawal recalled, adding, "She is truly a trailblazer."