Kkasthana at 13:59, 3 March 2026

2026-03-03T13:59:22Z

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{{Short description|Indian test pilot and astronaut-designate (born 1982)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}

{{Infobox astronaut
| name = Angad Pratap
| image = Group Captain Angad Pratap.jpg
| caption = Pratap, being felicitated by [[Prime Minister of India|Indian prime minister]] [[Narendra Modi]] in 2024
| type = [[List of Indian astronauts|ISRO astronaut]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|7|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Prayagraj]], Uttar Pradesh, India
| alma_mater = {{Unbulleted indent list
| [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]])
| [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]]
| [[Air Force Academy (India)|Indian Air Force Academy]]
| [[Indian Institute of Science]] ([[Master of Engineering|M.Tech.]])
}}
| occupation = {{hlist|[[Astronaut]]|[[Test pilot]]}}
| selection = [[List of astronauts by year of selection#2019|1st Gaganyatri Group (2019)]]
| module = {{Infobox military person
| embed = yes
| allegiance = India
| branch = {{air force|India}}
| rank = [[Group captain (India)|Group captain]]
| serviceyears = 2004–present
}}
}}

'''Angad Pratap''' (born 17 July 1982) is a [[Group captain (India)|group captain]] and [[test pilot]] with the [[Indian Air Force]] and [[List of Indian astronauts|gaganyatri]] (astronaut) with the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO). In 2019, he was one of the four men identified to be trained for the ''[[Gaganyaan]]'' mission of the ISRO, part of the [[Indian human spaceflight programme]].

== Early life and education ==
Pratap was born in [[Prayagraj]], [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Prayagraj Boy To IAF Pilot: Meet Group Captain Angad Prathap|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/who-is-group-captain-angadh-prathap-one-of-the-astronauts-of-gaganyaan-mission-article-108051317|date=27 February 2024|work=[[Times Now]]}}</ref> He completed his schooling at Springdales School. He later graduated from the [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]], and joined the [[Air Force Academy (India)|Air Force Academy]].<ref name="Brit">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Angad Pratap – Biography|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Angad-Pratap|encyclopedia=[[Britannica]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

== Defence career ==
Pratap was commissioned into the [[fighter aircraft|fighter]] stream of the Indian Air Force on 18 December 2004. {{As of|2025}}, Pratap holds the rank of [[Group captain (India)|group captain]] in the Indian Air Force. He has over 2,900 flying hours of experience, in aircraft such as [[Antonov An-32]], [[Dornier Do 228]], [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21]], [[Mikoyan MiG-29]], and [[Sukhoi Su-30 MKI]]. He initially served as a [[flying instructor]] before qualifying as a [[test pilot]].<ref name="Brit"/><ref name="NDTV">{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-4-gaganyaan-astronauts-5136912|title=All you need to know about the Gaganyaan astronauts|work=[[NDTV]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Gaganyaan astronaut completes mountaineering course|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/gaganyaan-astronaut-completes-56-day-mountaineering-course-in-just-10-days/articleshow/115363174.cms|date=16 November 2024|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> He served as a [[flying instructor]] and [[test pilot]] prior to his selection for the human spaceflight programme.<ref>{{cite news|title=Who Are The Four Astronauts Selected For India's Crewed Space Mission Gaganyaan?|url=https://www.news18.com/india/who-are-the-four-astronauts-selected-for-indias-crewed-space-mission-gaganyaan-details-here-8794550.html|work=[[News18]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

== Astronaut career ==
[[File:Gaganyaan crew at Russia.jpg|thumb|left|Pratap (right) at the [[Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center]]]]

In 2019, Pratap was shortlisted by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine for the ''[[Gaganyaan]]'' programme of the ISRO. He was among four candidates selected for training as a part of the [[Indian Human Spaceflight Programme]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Pandey |first=Geeta |date=27 February 2024 |title=Gaganyaan: India names astronauts for maiden space flight |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68411095 |access-date=27 February 2024 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rajwi |first=Tiki |date=27 February 2024 |title=ISRO's Gaganyaan mission: PM Modi announces Indian astronaut designates |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-meets-gaganyaan-astronaut-designates/article67890939.ece |access-date=3 December 2025 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> He trained at the [[Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center]] in Russia from 2020 to 2021.<ref>{{cite news |date=14 March 2021 |title=ISRO's astronaut trainees return after completing training in Russia |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/isro-astronauts-complete-russia-training-101613658020316.html |work=[[The Hindustan Times]] |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> He later underwent mission-specific training at ISRO's Astronaut Training Facility in [[Bengaluru]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kumar |first=Chethan |title=Nair, Prathap, Krishnan and Chauhan listed for Gaganyaan mission |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/nair-prathap-krishnan-and-chauhan-listed-for-gaganyaan-mission/articleshow/108022351.cms |access-date=27 February 2024 |work=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref>

On 27 February 2024, ISRO officially introduced Pratap as a member of the astronaut team for ''Gaganyaan'', India's planned first human spaceflight mission.<ref>{{cite news|title=PM announces Gaganyaan astronauts|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68411095|work=[[BBC News]]|date=27 February 2024|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> {{As of|2025}}, he continued to train as part of the ''Gaganyaan'' crew, with the first crewed mission expected in 2027.<ref>{{cite news |last=Koshy |first=Jacob |date=6 May 2025 |title=Gaganyaan mission moved to first quarter of 2027 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/gaganyaan-mission-slated-for-first-quarter-of-2027-isro-chief-narayanan/article69544954.ece |access-date=3 December 2025 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=27 February 2024 |title=Gaganyaan: India names astronauts for maiden space flight |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68411095 |access-date=3 December 2025 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{commons}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.britannica.com/biography/Angad-Pratap}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratap, Angad}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Indian test pilots]]
[[Category:Indian astronauts]]
[[Category:ISRO people]]
[[Category:Gaganyaan]]

Angad Pratap - Revision history

Kkasthana at 13:59, 3 March 2026