Meet the man who could be India’s first space tourist

Meet Santhosh George Kulangara, a travel chronicler and media entrepreneur from Kerala, India. Kulangara could be the first space tourist from India, selected to fly in the Virgin Galactic mission back in 2007.

The start of space tourism

Billionaires like Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos took suborbital space flights through their companies and the space tourism industry took off. This created a huge wave. However, Santhosh George Kulangara was the first Indian to be selected for this venture. Kulangara was selected as a paid space tourist on the Virgin Galactic flight back in 2007.

Who is Santhosh George Kulangara?

Santosh is a solo traveler and explorer. He is also the founder of Safari TV, a unique TV channel completely dedicated to exploration and travel. His travel show Sancharam has over 1500 episodes! Additionally, he is now a part-time member of Kerala’s state planning board. He has been keen and waiting for the epic journey since it will be an experience unlike any other. Kulangara has visited over 130 countries and spent the 49 years of his life to the fullest. And, this was a special opportunity that he couldn’t miss despite the Rs. 1.8 Crore price tag.

Here’s how he came across the special opportunity

During his travels in the UK in 2005, Kulangara saw an ad in a newspaper. “I was immediately interested. Took that newspaper with me and after returning home, sent a mail to Branson’s company. I told them of my background that I am someone who does travel documentaries. There were a few telephonic interviews and even they seemed to be happy to have a media person with them,” he recounted.

However, no trips are free of hurdles. “But there were some bureaucratic hurdles as I needed the Indian government’s permission to join the trip to space. Finally, I was officially enrolled as the first space tourist from India in 2007,” added the Indian space tourist. Additionally, back then, many people did not believe that space tourism would be possible.

Is a trip to the space worth it?

The trip will cost the Indian Space tourist about $0.25 million since he signed up very early. However, it does not include training and travel expenses. But, the experiences and historical significance may outweigh the costs. “When I was at the Kennedy Space Center in the United States undergoing the training, I felt like I had reached the top of the world. The get-togethers involving celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Leonardo DiCaprio at the Mojave desert, getting to know personalities like Richard Branson, you pay for these experiences,” he said.

All that matters is one’s priorities. “It’s all about one’s perspective. If I had thought like everyone else, I would not have been able to do even one episode of Sancharam,” he added with nostalgia.

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