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President A P J Abdul Kalam
congratulated me for securing a humongous chance to become the first
Indian space tourist. The President invited me following the acquring
of a seat on the space flight by Virgin Galactic.
I was extremely happy about the meeting
with the President who briefed me on the various aspects of the
project and the space travel. My name hogged the headlines even as I
signed up with Richard-Branson’s Virgin Galactic company, with a
confirmed seat aboard the VSS Enterprise spacecraft.
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As for the meeting with the President, I had always been looking
forward to having such an opportunity. I had always wanted to meet
India’s missile man. I spent half-an-hour with the President at
Rashtrapathi Bhavan on Thursday (03rd May 2007). I presented a
copy of my book ‘Natashayude Varnaballoonukal’ (Natasha’s
colourful balloons) to Mr. Kalam. The book is a travelogue on my
journeys to Russia and Europe.
The President had advised me to film the experiences in outer
space and show them to the children. The President also expressed
his hope that India would conduct space tour programmes in future.
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I will have to pay an amount of Rs one
crore for the flight on the space ship which will last for two hours.
The travellers on board will experience zero gravity and re-entry into
earth’s atmosphere.
I was seen off by the President with a
suggestion to meet the Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G.
Madhawan Nair before my space tour with five other fellow travelers
that included two- U S – based Indian Americans and two Navigators.
I believe that travelling to space is
the ultimate ambition of any travel freak as it is the last
destination known to man.
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