Rakesh Sharma flew aboard the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft on April 2, 1984, to become the first Indian to go to space. Sharma, a joint ISRO-Soviet space programme cosmonaut spent seven days 21 hours and 40 minutes in space. When asked how India looks from outer space by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Sharma recited "Saare Jahan Se Achcha".