Sunita Williams leads New York Veterans Day Parade: From Navy captain to spaceflight legend

The streets of Manhattan had a different kind of star on Wednesday. Sunita Williams, the retired NASA astronaut and former US Navy captain, led New York’s Veterans Day Parade as Grand Marshal, joining more than 20,000 participants in a tribute to generations of military personnel.

The 107th edition of the annual procession moved along Fifth Avenue, bringing together veterans, active-duty service members, military families, marching bands, civic organisations, students and supporters. According to the United War Veterans Council, the parade featured more than 280 marching units, over 25 floats and vintage vehicles.

For Williams, the honour carried a personal meaning. Her years in the Navy helped shape the career that would eventually take her beyond Earth. "My time in the Navy shaped who I am and prepared me for every challenge that followed," she said, describing the appointment as "an incredible honour". "I'm proud to join New Yorkers and Americans from around the country in honouring the service, sacrifice, and commitment of veterans from every generation."

Why Sunita Williams' Navy career shaped her journey to NASA

Before becoming one of the most recognisable faces in human spaceflight, Williams served as a Navy officer and test pilot. She joined NASA's astronaut programme in 1998 and went on to fly three missions to the International Space Station.

Her career included 608 days in space and nine spacewalks lasting a combined 62 hours and six minutes. NASA says she holds the record for the most cumulative spacewalking time by a woman. She also became the first person to run a marathon in space.

The parade appearance comes after a significant change in her professional life. NASA announced in January 2026 that Williams had retired from the agency, effective December 27, 2025, after 27 years of service.

Sunita Williams' nine-month Starliner mission brought her global attention

Williams became a household name in 2024 when what was meant to be an eight-day mission turned into an unexpectedly long stay aboard the International Space Station.

She and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore travelled to the station on Boeing's first crewed Starliner flight in June 2024. Technical problems with the spacecraft led NASA to decide that it should return without its crew. Williams and Wilmore remained aboard the station while a SpaceX Crew-9 mission brought them home in March 2025, after 286 days in space.

The prolonged mission drew worldwide attention to the risks and complexities of human spaceflight. It also added another extraordinary chapter to Williams' already record-setting career.

Sunita Williams honours Marine Corps ahead of Veterans Day parade

The parade was not her only appearance during New York's Veterans Week celebrations. On November 10, Williams joined Marines and sailors aboard the USS San Antonio for a ceremony marking the 251st anniversary of the US Marine Corps.

The event brought together military personnel to recognise the service and history of the Corps ahead of Veterans Day.

Sunita Williams' Indian roots remain part of her space story

Born in Ohio to Indian-American neuroanatomist Deepak Pandya and Slovenian-American Ursuline Pandya, Williams has often spoken about the importance of her family and cultural background.

Her Indian heritage also travelled with her into orbit. During her 2006 spaceflight, she carried a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and a small statue of Lord Ganesha. On her 2012 mission, she took a copy of the Upanishads as well.

For an astronaut whose career has been defined by crossing boundaries, the Fifth Avenue parade offered a different kind of milestone: a public tribute to the service that helped take her from the Navy to the stars.

(With inputs from ANI)