Santhosh George Kulangara
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| Santhosh George Kulangara | |
 First Indian Space Tourist
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| Born | December 25, 1971 Marangattupilly |
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| Occupation | Managing Director, Labour India Groups of companies |
| Known for | First space tourist from India, Producer and Director of Sancharam, Cinematographer and travel writer. |
| Spouse | Soncy |
| Children | Sarika, George |
Santhosh George Kulangara, (born December 25, 1971) is going to be the first space tourist from India. He has been confirmed along with 37 others by space tour operator Virgin Galactic’s first program for 2009, thereby becoming the First space tourist from India. [1] [2] [3]
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[edit] Early & Family life
Santhosh George Kulangara was born in Marangattupilly, Kottayam District in Kerala, India. [4]. He is a post graduate and trained cinematographer He is married to Soncy and father of two children – Sarika and George. His parents are retired high school teachers. His father V.J. George Kulangara, is the founder of Labour India Publications Ltd..
[edit] Business career
He is also a businessman in the area of education, tourism and Information Technology. He is the owner and Managing Director of Labour India groups of companies, co-founder of Labour India Gurukulam Public School, International Gurukulam School in Wagamon and Bluefield International Academy, West Virginia in the US. He is the Chairman and Managing Director of Supplement Communications (P) Ltd, an evening newspaper and Labour India Software Laboratories etc.
[edit] Space flight
He has become the first resident Indian to buy a US$ 200,000 for a sub-orbital ride with British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic spaceliner. [5] [6] The space flight is being designed to last two and a half hours in space, during which the spaceship will detach from the mother ship at 50,000 ft (15,000 m), the cruising altitude of Concorde. For this purpose, he successfully completed medical test and four days of training including Zero gravity at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida and three-day pre-flight preparation, bonding and training onsite at the spaceport at Mojave desert in California. [7] [8] A specially designed aircraft was used for the training program. [9]
In January 2008, Virgin Galactic unveiled a model of SpaceShipTwo, for carrying tourists into space and said that construction of the actual flight should be completed in 2008 and expected to take-off in 2009.
[edit] Contributions
He is also a notable traveler as he visited 55 countries in short span and his travelogue in various visits is being telecast, known as Sancharam (The journey) in Asianet news channel every Sunday at 10:30 prime time in the morning. This popular travelogue is about to be shoot in Space as the Virgin Galactic officials have agreed him to shoot the whole journey. [10] [11] He is the producer of television programs Samayam (time), Acharya (a documentary about Wagamon), directed the documentary film Krishnagatha and TV serials like Maluvinte Lokam, Chithirapurathe Visheshangal, Kerala Vishesham, etc. which all made for Doordarshan, Thiruvananthapuram. [12]
[edit] Published books
He published two books on his travels and another two more in the processing stage. The published books are Oru Rabbiyude Chumbanangal (Kisses of a rabbi ) which is his extensive journey on buses and ships through in the Eastern Europe. Nataashayude Varna Baloonukal (Natasha’s colorful balloons) is about interesting sights and memorable experiences of his European travel. He is also writing a book on the space voyage hoping space closer to people. [13]
[edit] Honors and awards
He has also won the Kamal Patra Award for the Young Businessman for the year 2002 and also bagged several awards including Yuva Prathiba Award (2004), All India RAPA Award (2003) and vivekananda award for his contributions to the Tourism and education sector. [14] [15]
He has got invitation by (former) President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who was his 'teacher' during the time he spent with him in Rashtrapati Bhavan where he got some vital tips by president, before on board to space. Santhosh George was advised by President to make the programme in such a way that it would be informative for the children.[16] [17]
[edit] References
- ^ India’s 1st space tourist. CNN-IBN.
- ^ Santosh George to become first Indian space tourist. The Hindu, Online edition.
- ^ India’s first space tourist ready to fly. Hindustan Times.
- ^ Kottayam publisher all set for space odyssey. The Indian Express.
- ^ And now, Indian. The Statesman.
- ^ Keralite to be India’s first space tourist. Gulf Times.
- ^ Zero gravity training for country's first space tourist. Deccan Herald.
- ^ India's first space tourist leaves for zero gravity flight. MSN India.
- ^ Virgin Galactic woos Indian space tourists. The Economic Times.
- ^ First Indian space tourist gearing to take off. Sify news.
- ^ Sancharam to space. FineTuning the World.
- ^ Thus did I become a world traveller. Self.
- ^ Kerala TV channels go after astronaut-to-be. The Peninsula.
- ^ Vivekananda Awards presented. The New Indian Express.
- ^ Selected for award. The Hindu, Online edition.
- ^ India’s would-be space tourist gets tips from Kalam. Fresh News.
- ^ Space tourist gets tips from president. World News.
