Mamata Banerjee proposes Bharat Ratna for Sunita Williams
What's the story
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has recommended Indian-American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams for the Bharat Ratna. This comes after Williams returned from being stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly nine months. Banerjee thanked the team that rescued Williams and another astronaut who had been stranded in space for months. "I congratulate them, as well as Sunita Williams. I think she should be honored with Bharat Ratna."
Daily updates
Banerjee's interest in space science
Banerjee expressed her concern for the situation and how she tracked it on a daily basis. "I'm interested in space science and have been following the developments through various sources of information. I kept track of the situation daily and took regular updates," she said. Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore had initially planned to spend eight days in space, but their stay was extended to over nine months due to a propulsion system issue with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
Official welcome
White House press secretary's statement on astronauts' return
After their return, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on March 19 that US President Donald Trump "looks forward to welcoming Butch and Suni to the Oval Office when they are recovered." Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the astronauts, stating that the nine-month stay at the ISS was a "test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit."