Hanuman Ji First To Go To Space: Anurag Thakur’s Remark Sparks Debate
Union Minister tells Himachal students to “look beyond textbooks”; netizens fact-check, DMK says science cannot be confused with mythology
Union Minister Anurag Thakur triggered a debate on Monday after telling school students in Himachal Pradesh that Lord Hanuman was the first to travel into space, urging them to “look beyond textbooks” and connect with India’s cultural heritage.
Thakur, speaking at a National Space Day event at a PM Shri School in Una, asked children who was the first person to go to space. When the students answered “Neil Armstrong,” Thakur replied: “I think Hanuman Ji was the first to travel to space.” He went on to tell the students that India’s ancient knowledge and traditions hold immense value and should not be forgotten.
The remark quickly went viral, sparking a mix of laughter, criticism, and memes online. Many internet users pointed out factual errors, stressing that Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space in 1961, followed by American astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first to step on the Moon in 1969. Some accused Thakur of confusing mythology with science, while others posted humorous takes and memes linking Hanuman’s epic leap to Lanka with modern space missions.
One social media user wrote, “Instead of correcting the children, you told them Hanuman was the first space traveller. It was Yuri Gagarin. Stop playing with the innocent minds of children.” Another commented, “Science is not mythology. Let children learn science in classrooms and faith at home.”
The controversy soon drew a political response, with the DMK slamming Thakur’s remarks. The party said his statement amounted to “misleading students by mixing myth with scientific fact”, warning that such comments undermine the spirit of rational education. “Science is not mythology. To confuse fact with fable is an insult to knowledge and reason,” a DMK spokesperson said.
While Thakur framed his comment as a call for students to explore India’s cultural legacy, the debate has reignited long-running tensions over whether mythology should be invoked in scientific discourse.