Residents of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ ancestral village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district are gearing up for Diwali-like festivities on Wednesday morning to celebrate her scheduled return to Earth after a nine-month stay at the International Space Station.

Williams has been in the thoughts and prayers of the villagers, eagerly awaiting her safe return.

Jhulasan village, known as the ancestral home of Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, is alive with excitement. Villagers have been praying for her safety, with many offering special prayers and lighting an Akhand Jyot (eternal flame) at the local temple of Goddess Dola Mata. Follow Sunita Williams Homecoming Live Updates Here

According to Williams’ cousin, Navin Pandya, a grand procession will be held in her honour, accompanied by prayer chanting and fireworks to create a festive atmosphere similar to Diwali and Holi.

The villagers are keen to invite her to her paternal village in future.

“We have organised a procession with Sunita Williams’ photograph and will perform a ‘dhun’ (prayer chanting) at the temple. We had been offering prayers and lighting the Akhand Jyot for her safe return. This Jyot will be offered to Goddess Dola Mata on Wednesday after her return to Earth,” said Pandya.

He said villagers are looking forward to inviting Ms Williams to visit Jhulasan.

The villagers’ excitement has only grown with the news of her third space mission.

“The atmosphere here is festive, with everyone eagerly anticipating her return. We will definitely invite her to visit Jhulasan in the future. It would be an honour to have her among us in her ancestral village,” he added.

Sunita Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, originally hails from Jhulasan, having migrated to the United States in 1957.

Ms Williams, along with astronaut Butch Wilmore, is returning to Earth after spending more than nine months at the ISS.

Their mission, initially scheduled to last seven days, was extended due to a technical glitch. The two astronauts are returning aboard SpaceX after a dramatic, marathon mission that began with a failed Boeing test flight.

Ms Williams, who has completed 62 hours over nine spacewalks, holds the record for the most time spent spacewalking by a female astronaut. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)