Mamata Banerjee Mixed-Up Rakesh Sharma & Rakesh Roshan during Discussion on Chandrayaan-3

KOLKATA: In a moment of confusion, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mistakenly referred to Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma as Bollywood actor and director Rakesh Roshan during a public event while discussing success of ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 Mission.

During her speech, Banerjee attempted to recall India's significant participation in the Soviet Interkosmos programme, where Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma became the nation's pride by venturing into space. Sharma's iconic conversation with the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from the space station remains etched in history. When asked about his view of India from space, Sharma had heartwarmingly replied, "Saare jahan se acha, Hindustan humara."

However, Banerjee's inadvertent blunder led her to interchange names, associating Rakesh Sharma's remarkable space journey with the well-known Bollywood personality Rakesh Roshan. The latter, of course, is not an astronaut but a renowned actor and director in the Indian film industry.

Following the incident, a video capturing Banerjee's mix-up swiftly spread across social media platforms, triggering a wave of humorous memes and reactions. Many individuals took to various platforms to share their amusement at the confusion, giving rise to a flurry of online entertainment.