The Earth is one family and this is how it looks from the space, said distinguished WG and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma while addressing the 6th Odisha Knowledge Hub (OKH) lecture at the State Secretariat on Wednesday morning.
“Anyone who goes to space looks at his own country first, but soon it appears that there is no boundary between the countries and the entire world is one family and our destinies are integrated,” Sharma said.
Speaking on the topic ‘Manned Space Flight: A learning Experience’. Sharma said environmental degradation in the earth caused by vehicular and industrial pollution was clearly visible from the space.
He said unless pollution issues are addressed appropriately, the human race would extinct from the earth.
The growing consumerism of a materialistic culture would be the cause of the extinction of human race unless it is moderated by the wisdom of holistic living with natural eco-system, he opined.
A large number of students attended the programme.
Sharma said, though in recent days, green coverage in some parts of the country, including Odisha, has increased, yet all the countries need to work together for maintenance of a balanced eco-system.
Highlighting about outgoing maritime activities of Odias, Sharma wished that the next space flight in search of another home planet is launched from Chandipur in Odisha.
Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan highlighted about Sharma’s contribution to the country as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force.
During Indo-Pak War, 1971, Sharma, then only 23-year-old, had successfully launched 21 operational missions on a Mig-21 aircraft and was the astronaut in joint Indo-Soviet Space Mission-1984, Balakrishnan mentioned.
Finance Minister Pradeep Amat presented a memento to Sharma on behalf of the State Government. Employment and Technical Education and Training Minister Sanjaya Das Burma, Information and Technology Minister Pranab Prakash Das, Odisha Skill Development Authority Chairman Subrato Bagchi, MlAs, Chief Secretary AP Padhi were present.