Retired Navy captain leads a procession of around 20,000 participants on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, honouring military veterans and their service.
Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams was honoured as the Grand Marshal of New York’s 107th annual Veterans Day Parade, held on Wednesday. The retired US Navy captain led a procession of around 20,000 participants along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.
The annual parade pays tribute to military veterans and brings together former service personnel, armed forces units, law enforcement officers, educational institutions, civic organisations and musical bands.
Calling her appointment an “incredible honour”, Williams said her time in the Navy had shaped her and prepared her for the challenges that followed. She also expressed pride in joining Americans from across the country to recognise the service and sacrifice of veterans.
Before joining NASA, Williams served as a test pilot in the US Navy. During her space career, she completed three missions, spending a cumulative 608 days in orbit. She also set a record for the most spacewalks by a woman, completing nine spacewalks lasting a total of 62 hours.
Williams recently drew global attention after an eight-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft turned into an extended nine-month stay at the International Space Station due to technical problems. She and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore eventually returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew-9 vehicle.
Known for her connection to Indian culture, Williams carried a copy of the Bhagavad Gita to space in 2006 and the Upanishads in 2012.
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