Family and supporters across the country on Friday offered prayers for the safe-return of Indian-origin American astronaut Sunita Williams, whose return has been delayed due to bad weather.
Agra/Ahmedabad June 21: Family and supporters across the country on Friday offered prayers for the safe-return of Indian-origin American astronaut Sunita Williams, whose return has been delayed due to bad weather.
In Agra, thousands of Muslims at their Friday prayers fervently hoped that Williams returns home safely.
"Today, thousand of Muslims have offered their Friday prayers for the safe return of Sunita Williams. She is the nation's daughter and has done us proud," said Mohammad Hissar, a local.
In other part of the city, a group of young Hindu students organised a religious ceremony to pray for her safe return.
They said Sunita William's had done the country proud.
"Not only India but the whole world knows about Sunita Williams. She is our nation's pride being the second Indian woman to have gone into space. We have organised this prayer for her safe return as bad weather had postponed her flight," said Raj Chaturvedi, one of the students.
Meanwhile in Ahmedabad, Vithal Bhai Pandya, Williams paternal uncle, said he was confident of his niece's safe return to the earth.
"God is everywhere and God will come to the succour of Sunita as well as to the crew itself. So, we are confident of the fact that there is no question, delay is there, but delay will be in favour of Sunita, delay will be in favour of the crew and it will turn into success," said Pandya.
The NASA based astronaut is on her return journey from space after six-months in space. Thus setting a record for the longest space stint by a woman, at 188 days.
Atlantis was scheduled to return to Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Thursday, but bad weather has prevented its landing so far.
ANI