Amid Chandrayaan-3 Buzz, Mamata Banerjee's 'Rakesh Roshan' Goof-up Goes Viral

Mamata Banerjee was referring to IAF pilot Rakesh Sharma, who made history as the first Indian to travel to space.

As the nation celebrates Chandrayaan-3's historic lunar south pole landing, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's slip-up is leaving the internet in splits.

At a Kolkata event just before Chandrayaan-3's landing, Banerjee mistakenly referred to pilot-astronaut Rakesh Sharma as Bollywood's notable director-producer Rakesh Roshan. She recalled an anecdote about "Rakesh Roshan landing on the moon" and former PM Indira Gandhi asking him how India looks from space.

Rakesh Sharma, an IAF pilot, made history in 1984 on the Soviet Union's Soyuz T-11 mission, by being the first Indian to travel in space. He responded to ex-PM Gandhi's question with "Saare jahaan se achcha (Better than the entire world)".

In no time, CM Banerjee's goof-up started making waves on social media. Netizens began circulating the now-viral clip of the Kolkata event, with varied hilarious reactions.

Take a look at some of them here:

Thank you Mamata didi,

Under the able leadership of #MamataBanerjee congratulations to #RakeshRoshan on becoming the first Indian cosmonaut.#Chandrayaan3 #Mamata #Vikramlanding #PragyanRover pic.twitter.com/pg1t5Wlj7S

— Oxomiya Jiyori 🇮🇳 (@SouleFacts) August 24, 2023

She is telling the truth. 🙂 Rakesh Roshan and i met for the first time on the moon. 😌#Chandrayaan3 #IndiaOnTheMoonpic.twitter.com/qJ6tpY6xVh https://t.co/Z2h6yWxZbu

— Jadoo 👽 (@Jadoo_883) August 23, 2023

And that's how @RakeshRoshan_N sir met jadoo 🙂#Chandrayaan3 #IndiaOnTheMoon pic.twitter.com/4Chx7ODwSx

— Greek God (@trends_HRITHIK) August 23, 2023

Didi #Chandrayan3 ki landing ke jagah 'Koi Mil Gaya' dekh ke aayi hai 😭😭🤣🤣🤣🤣 Rakesh Roshan 😭 pic.twitter.com/ELABg07hFw

— Facts (@BefittingFacts) August 23, 2023