On 03 April 1984 a Soyuz 11A511U launch vehicle lifted off from Baiknour cosmodrome with a Soviet-Indian international crew in a Soyuz T spacecraft which docked with Salyut 7 space station. The crew consisted of commander Y V Malyshev, flight engineer G M Strekalov (USSR) and cosmonaut-researcher Rakesh Sharma of India to conduct scientific and technical studies and experiments. The backup crew consisted of Commander Berezovoi, flight engineer Grechko, and researcher Ravish Malhotra. Squadran Leader Rakesh Sharma was working as a Test pilot with Areonautical Development Authority (ADA) for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program. He was earlier with the Indian Air Force. He was born on 13 January 1949 in Patiala, India.