Actress Lena Reveals Marriage To Gaganyaan Astronaut Designate Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair

Lena's Surprise Revelation: Actress Lena has made a significant revelation, disclosing her recent marriage to Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, selected as astronaut of Indian Human Spaceflight Programme Gaganyaan and announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Lena's Marriage to Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair Revealed

Lena took to Instagram to share the news, stating, "Today , 27 February, 2024 , our Prime Minister , Modi ji Awarded the First Indian Astronaut Wings to Indian Air Force Fighter Pilot ,Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair . It is a historic moment of pride for our Country , our state of Kerala and Me personally . In order to maintain the officially required confidentiality, I was waiting for this announcement to let you know that I got married to Prasanth on 17 January, 2024 in a traditional ceremony through an arranged marriage."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today introduced the four-member team selected for India's space travel programme, 'Gaganyaan', with Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair leading the task force. Lena was also present at the event. Scheduled for 2025, the Gaganyaan mission will venture 400 km from Earth and return after three days.

Who Is Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair?

Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, is an Indian pilot and Vyomanaut, previously served as a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force. He has been chosen as an astronaut for the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme Gaganyaan.

Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair hails from Nenmara, Palakkad. He is the son of Valampil Balakrishnan and Koolanghaat Pramila.

Prasanth enrolled in the National Defense Academy (NDA) while pursuing his engineering degree at NSS Engineering College, Palakkad. He earned the prestigious Sword of Honour at the Air Force Academy. Commissioned on December 19, 1998, in the fighter stream of the IAF, he holds the rank of Cat A Flying Instructor and Test Pilot, boasting approximately 3000 hours of flying experience. His expertise spans various aircraft, including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Hawk combat aircraft, and Dornier Do 228 and An-32 transports. Additionally, he is an alumnus of the United States Staff College and serves as Directing Staff at DSSC, Wellington, and FIS, Tambaram. Notably, he has commanded a premier Su-30 squadron.

Prasanth Nair's journey towards becoming an astronaut commenced in 2019 when he participated in the selection process conducted by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), an organization affiliated with the Indian Air Force. Subsequently, he progressed to the final four candidates after being shortlisted by IAM and ISRO. In 2020, Nair traveled to Russia alongside three other selected Vyomanauts for basic training, which concluded in 2021. Upon completion, he returned to India and underwent further training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bangalore. His official introduction as a member of the astronaut team occurred on February 27, 2024, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of the team members for India's inaugural space mission at ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.

Lena, known for her roles in Malayalam cinema, debuted in Jayaraj's film "Sneham" and holds a degree in psychology.

Throughout her illustrious career spanning more than 25 years, Lena has graced the silver screen in over 175 films across five languages, encompassing blockbusters and critically acclaimed works in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

In 2023, Lena made her debut as an author with the release of her first book, "Autobiography of God." The book not only chronicles her personal journey but also offers insights into mental health, aligning with her roles as a motivational speaker and transformation coach.