[Assam] ISS Astronaut interacts with Manipuri students

Mon Feb 9 04:53:58 PST 2009

Astronaut Edward Michael "Mike"

US Air-force Col Edward Michael "Mike" whose ancestors are from Russia
is the son-in-law of Mr. Rupesh Saikia and Prabha "Adhan", having
married their daughter Renita (Juma). 

Mr. Saikia comes from upper Assam and now settled in Houston Texas. He
is retired having worked for more than 40 years in USA but "Adhan"
Baideo is still working.

Renita, their daughter works in NASA, which handles the US space
programmes.

Mike speaks fluent Assamese, loves Assamese food and has been to Assam a
few times including last year when he came on a lecture tour to India on
invitation from one of the IITs.

   "Mike" is indirectly my son-in-law too as Jyoti (Makhud), my wife and
Adhan are first cousins. We are in constant touch with his family in 

    USA Houston, where his wife Renita also lives. 

   I admire her the way she manages being an astronaut's wife. It takes
a lot of sacrifice and courage on her part.

    "Richie" our son studying in Columbia Univ New York keeps us
regularly posted about them.

Many in India do not know Mike's India lineage, the fact that Mike is
India's son -in- law. Last time when Arnab Goswami (of STAR TV), who is
the son of my friend Col Manoranjan Goswami of Guwahati Assam, was
giving a brief new year message from Space (from Mike) to the people of
the world, did not mention anything about Mike's India connection.
Perhaps he was not aware of it. If he were, he would certainly have. I
have not spoken to Arnab on the matter.

I am proud that people are so happy to be hearing Mike.

Let us all wish him all the luck for all his future space journeys and
success in his explorations.

Very few people in the world rise that high, literally.

Hope this brief introduction will benefit those who may like to know
more about Mike.

Regards

Col Hemen N Choudhary

Mumbai,

India

+91 9820125972

-----Original Message-----
From: assam-bounces at assamnet.org [mailto:assam-bounces at assamnet.org] On
Behalf Of kamal deka
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 4:13 AM
To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world

Subject: Re: [Assam] ISS Astronaut interacts with Manipuri students

This sort of news fills me with immense exhilaration!! Thanks for
sharing

the piece of news.

When will the overdoing of same joy end? Or,will it ever end ?

KJD

On Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 4:27 PM, Rajen & Ajanta Barua
<barua25 at hotmail.com>wrote:

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

> Full Story:

> http://www.morungexpress.com/regional/13605.html

> 

> 

> ISS Astronaut interacts with Manipuri students

> Font size:

> Newmai News Network Imphal

> : "NORTH EAST India is among the most beautiful places and that the

> best thing of the North East region of India is its rich natural

> resources, take good care of it," says astronaut Edward Michael "Mike"

> Fincke while talking to students of Manipur online from the

> International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday.

> During the historic

> event under the banner "Space Talk" was organized at the Central

> Agricultural University (CAU) Manipur, in Imphal sponsored and

> coordinated by the Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters (FASS) fourteen

> students from the state spoke to astronaut Edward Michael "Mike"

> Fincke. About 400 students including some school teachers attended the

> event.

> The talk which started from 3:36 pm and 19 seconds lasted for

> about ten minutes during which Edward Michael Fincke who is also known

> as Mike Fincke or the son in law of the North East, also the commander

> of the Expedition-18, expressed his desire to visit Manipur if
possible

> in the near future after completing his mission. "Manipur is very
close

> to Assam, lets see what we can do and I will try" Fincke added when he

> was being asked by a student for any chance of visiting in the

> state.

> "Kumrumjari, Aphaba Oiyu and Thagatchari" are the

> three words he uttered, when he was asked whether he had any idea of

> Manipuri language and the whole room burst into applaud. Fincke

> revealed that during their frequent passing along north east area he

> can see Loktak Lake which is very beautiful when seen from space,

> however it is most of the time foggy, he added.

> Mike Fincke also

> shares his experience of being an astronaut and their mission in the

> space during the talk with the students. When asked about giving words

> of hopes from the ISS for the North East he said, "North East India is

> most beautiful place and the best thing of the North East Region of

> India is its rich natural resources, take good care of it, since my

> childhood I aimed to become an astronaut, I never gave up, I work hard

> to achieve my dream and so as you."

> Being inspired by the

> historic event of talking to astronaut Edward Michael "Mike" Fincke

> online from International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, many Manipuri

> students expressed their desire to become an astronaut someday.

> Interacting

> with the media persons to share there experiences after attending the

> space talk one Santila, an eleventh standard student of JNV Khumbong

> school said, "I feel that I am the most luckiest person today for
being

> able to attend the space talk, I am thrilled to hear an astronaut

> online from outer space for the first time of my life, my aim in life

> is to become a doctor and now I am looking forward to become one."  A

> tenth standard student of Nirmalabas school one Jenifer has to say

> this,  "I always dream of becoming an astronaut and after attending
the

> space talk I am more inspired and determined to become an astronaut."

>  Er.

> Bidyananda Barkakoty, the general secretary of FASS revealed the space

> talk is a unique event of which few can achieve the opportunity and

> Manipur has also is now among the achievers of such unique event. He

> also said that the talk has been coordinated by the Amateur Radio

> ground station collaborated by nine countries, HAM radio station,

> Queensland Australia.

> While terming the event as the historic event

> in the history of Manipur, the Dean of the CAU, Manipur said that the

> "thanks" should go to Mike the son in law of the North East. He also

> requested Mike for a visit in the state of which the astronaut in

> positive manner replied "Thagatchari (thanks). Mike married to an

> Assamese woman.

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> 

> 

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