NASA astronaut Sunita Williams shares Diwali wishes to people around the globe from international space station 

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NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who is currently stationed aboard the International Space Station (ISS), conveyed her Diwali greetings to individuals celebrating the festival both in the United States and worldwide. In a touching video message recorded from her vantage point in space, Williams shared her extraordinary experience of witnessing Diwali from an altitude of 260 miles above the Earth. “Greetings from the ISS,” she stated, extending her heartfelt wishes for a joyous Diwali to all those celebrating, including attendees at the White House and beyond. Her message was featured during the Diwali celebrations at the White House, where she also expressed her appreciation to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their involvement in the festivities and for acknowledging the contributions of the Indian-American community. “Thank you to the President and the Vice President for celebrating Diwali with our community today and for recognising the many contributions of our community,” she emphasized, highlighting the importance of cultural recognition at such prominent levels of government.In her communication, Williams reflected on her father’s dedication to embedding their cultural heritage within their family, particularly through his teachings about Diwali and other important Indian celebrations.

She expressed her excitement about the opportunity to observe Diwali from the International Space Station, located 260 miles above the Earth, noting, “My father kept and shared his cultural roots by teaching us about Diwali and other Indian festivals.” Williams underscored the festival’s powerful themes of hope and renewal, remarking, “Diwali is a time of joy as goodness in the world prevails.” Her sentiments were particularly poignant as they aligned with a significant Diwali event at the White House, which underscored the festival’s relevance in American culture and its capacity to unite individuals from various backgrounds.Since June 6, 2023, Williams has been residing on the International Space Station, having launched alongside fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Although their mission was initially planned as a week-long test flight, it has been prolonged due to the decision to return the spacecraft to Earth without its crew. NASA assessed that it would be “too risky” to bring Wilmore and Williams back ahead of schedule, leading to an extended mission duration of nearly eight months, with their anticipated return to Earth set for February 2025.