New Delhi, March 18 -- Union Minister Jitendra Singh Tuesday called NASA astronaut Sunita Williams a "daughter of India" as the world awaits her return alongwith Butch Wilmore, who have spent nearly nine months on the International Space Station.

Singh also stated that the country is "proud" of her and praying for her safe return.

"...She (Sunita Williams), being a daughter of India, has made the entire world proud...She has successfully accomplished the task that she was assigned to. While all of us pray for a safe return, we also feel proud of her...A very pleasant coincidence is the fact that today itself, Prime Minister Modi made a statement on Maha Kumbh in the Parliament and incidentally, Sunita also expressed her best wishes for ...