Jhulasan, the ancestral village of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams in Gujarat, is gearing up for grand festivities on Wednesday to celebrate her return to Earth after a nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS), as per reports.

The village, home to about 7,000 people, has reportedly planned a procession in her honour, accompanied by prayer chants and fireworks to create a festive atmosphere akin to Diwali and Holi.

The villagers, eagerly awaiting her safe return, hope to invite her to visit her paternal home in the near future, as per reports.

Sunita Williams’ Gujarat connection

Williams' father, Deepak Pandya, a neurosurgeon from Jhulasan, migrated to the United States in 1957.

Williams, along with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, is returning aboard SpaceX after a mission initially planned for seven days but extended due to a technical glitch during a Boeing test flight.

Sunita Williams set to return home today after extended ISS mission