The Gaganyaan mission will be manned by Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan, Group Captain Ajith Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla.
Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair is recognized for his role as a Sukhoi fighter pilot.
All four astronauts were initially shortlisted four years ago and hail from the Indian Air Force's Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru.
The selection process took place at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), an institute affiliated with the Indian Air Force (IAF), with final selection made in collaboration with ISRO after multiple rounds of evaluation.
In early 2020, ISRO facilitated the astronauts' initial training in Russia, which experienced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was successfully completed in 2021.
Following their return from Russia, the astronauts have been engaged in various training modules in India to further prepare for the mission.
Alongside their training, the astronauts continue their regular flying duties with the IAF to maintain fitness, supplemented by additional fitness routines.