Santosh George Kulangara is quite the household name in Kerala. Well-known for his video travelogue, Sancharam, he has travelled to about 130 countries. He is all set to become a household name throughout the nation as, if everything goes according to plan, Santosh George Kulangara will be the first Indian space tourist.
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In 2005, he came across an ad about the possibility of space tourism in British newspapers. He mailed the organisers and had to go through several rounds of interviews and tests. He was able to pass all of them and was inducted into the program in 2007.
The mission was initially planned for 2010 but was delayed due to various reasons like test flight failures and Covid-19. Santosh had even undergone training at the Kennedy Space Centre and released them on his channel.
With Richard Branson’s successful flight into space on Sunday (July 11) the lights are back to green. Reports state that other space tourists, including Santosh, will be flying into space in the coming months. Thus by 2022, Santosh will be the first Indian tourist in space.
Santosh told the Times of India that the training has been gruelling but believes that it’s all going to be worth it. He said that he is hoping to capture most of the trip on camera and share it with his audience back home.
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Santosh George Kulangara is famous for filming 450 episodes of ‘Sancharam’, a Malayalam travelogue series. His 13-year-long stint in the field of travel enabled him to fall in love with people and cultures all over the world. He also runs a publication firm called Labour India based in his home town. His firm releases study material for children and also conducts training sessions for teachers.
We can’t wait to hear Santosh George Kulangara’s iconic narration about his journey to space!
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