Ajit Krishnan (born 19 April 1982) is an Indian Air force (IAF) test pilot in rank of Group Captain and a Gaganyatri (astronaut designate) with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), selected for India's human spaceflight programme.[1][2][3] He, along with other three test pilots, Shubhanshu Shukla, Prasanth Nair and Angad Pratap, were selected to be part of India's first crewed space mission expected to be launched in 2027.[4][5][6]
Krishnan was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and completed his early schooling at various Kendriya Vidyalayas (central schools) in India.[7] He completed his secondary schooling from Air Force Station Kendriya Vidyalaya, at Yelahanka, in Bangalore. After that he joined as a cadet at the National Defense Academy (NDA) and graduated in 2001–02.He was awarded the President's Gold Medal and Sword of Honour for meritorious performance during training.[8] Later Krishnan earned a master's degree from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru, by research studying the manual override methods used by spacecraft for reentry into Earth's atmosphere. He also attended the Defense Services Staff College in Wellington, Tamil Nadu.[9][10]
Military career
Krishnan was commissioned in the fighter pilot stream of the Indian Air Force on June 21, 2003. He was initially a flying instructor and later became a test pilot and has over 2,900 hours of flight experience on various aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Dornier, and Antonov An-32.[11]He was promoted to the rank of wing commander on June 21, 2016, and elevated to the rank of group captain on December 2, 2020.[12]
Astronaut selection and training
In 2019, Krishnan was shortlisted as an astronaut candidate by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine under the Indian Air Force. He was then selected as one of the four astronaut designates from 12 members shortlisted by the Indian Space Research Organisation for the Gaganyaan Programme.[13] After his selection, he underwent extensive training programmes in Russia at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, which he completed in early 2021.[14] His training sessions included spacecraft operations, zero-gravity simulations, and survival techniques in space environments.[15][16]
Role in Gaganyaan programme
Krishnan is one of the astronauts selected for India's Gaganyaan Programme, which is planned to send Indian astronauts into space. As of 2025, reports from media outlets, the crew is continuing their preparation, and the first crewed mission is expected to happen in 2027.[17] In May 2025, amid India's border security tensions with Pakistan, Krishnan was temporarily recalled by the Indian Airforce to active duty as part of Operation Sindoor.[18] Despite the reassignment, Krishnan confirmed that he will be still part of the Gaganyaan mission.[19][20]
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