New York, November 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian-American astronaut and retired US Navy Captain Sunita Williams was honoured as the Grand Marshal of New York’s 107th annual Veterans Day Parade, leading thousands of participants along Manhattan’s iconic Fifth Avenue.
Williams led the parade on Wednesday, an event that brought together around 20,000 people to honour military veterans and recognise their service and sacrifice.
Describing her appointment as an “incredible honour”, Williams reflected on the role of her Navy career in shaping her life and preparing her for the challenges that followed.
“My time in the Navy shaped who I am and prepared me for every challenge that followed,” she said, expressing pride in joining Americans from across the country in recognising veterans of every generation.
The parade featured former military personnel, contingents from the armed services, local law enforcement agencies, community organisations and schools, alongside several marching bands. Companies also showcased floats highlighting veterans working in their organisations.
On the eve of the parade, Williams attended an event marking the 251st anniversary of the founding of the US Marine Corps aboard the USS San Antonio.
Before joining NASA, Williams served as a test pilot in the US Navy. She completed three space missions, spending a total of 608 days in space. She also holds the record for the most spacewalks by a woman, with nine excursions totalling 62 hours.
Williams attracted worldwide attention in 2024 when an eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS), aboard the first crewed flight of Boeing’s Starliner, extended into a nine-month stay because of technical problems with the spacecraft. She and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore eventually returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission.
The daughter of neuroanatomist Deepak Pandya and Ursuline Pandya, Williams has also spoken about her Indian heritage. She carried a copy of the Bhagavad Gita to the ISS in 2006 and the Upanishads during a subsequent mission in 2012.
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