Kathmandu: The birthday of the world’s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was celebrated at the Russian House in Kathmandu, with participation from students, teachers, and parents from 19 schools.
The event featured a photo exhibition from the Cosmonautics Museum showcasing Gagarin’s historic journey, along with a book exhibition highlighting his life and achievements. The collection included rare editions preserved since Soviet times, such as “My Brother Yuri – Pages from the Life of the First Cosmonaut” by his brother Valentin Gagarin.
Speaking at the event, Russian House Director Anastasia Khokhlova noted that Gagarin’s iconic phrase “Poyekhali!” (“Let’s go!”) remains popular worldwide, including in Nepal. She also shared plans to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Gagarin’s historic spaceflight with a Cosmonautics Festival in collaboration with the Astronomical Society of Nepal and the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology.
The upcoming events will be held at the Russian House and in Ratna Park, where a bust of Gagarin stands.
On the occasion, librarian Bhabana Nyoupane highlighted that on April 12, 1961, Gagarin became the first human to travel into space aboard the Vostok-1, marking a milestone in human history and inspiring generations worldwide.
