Just days after the American astronaut Sunita Williams safely landed on Earth following her return from an orbital mission aboard the International Space Station, a viral social media claim stated she got a pre-approved personal loan offered by an Indian financial corporation. However, our investigation reveals the claim is false.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
A claim widely shared on social media platforms stated that the American astronaut Sunita Williams got a pre-approved loan from Bajaj Finance after she safely returned from the International Space Station.
Below is a screenshot of a Facebook post on March 19, 2025, claiming “Breaking: Sunita Williams receives her first call moments after landing on Earth. She was awarded a pre-approved personal loan by Bajaj Finance.”
The claim has also been shared on various social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), as well as Instagram and Threads, both of which are owned by Meta.
Below is the screenshot of a Threads post three days ago claiming “Breaking News: Sunita Williams received her first call moments after landing on Earth. She was awarded a pre-approved personal loan by Bajaj Finance. Proud moment for India!!”
Below is a screenshot of the claim circulated on X on March 19, 2025, stating: “Breaking: Sunita Williams receives her first call moments after landing on Earth. She was awarded a pre-approved personal loan by Bajaj Finance.”
Below is a screenshot of the claim shared on Instagram on March 19, 2025, accompanied by the same caption that prompted users to question its validity.
Instagram Post | Archived Link
In addition to the claim described above, another claim circulated on the X platform stated that Sunita Williams talked on the phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to relay his messages to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Below is a screenshot of the claim circulated on X on March 20, 2025, stating: “Yes, Modi ji. I relayed your messages to Trump before your meeting. He obeyed and pulled that chair for you.”
Due to the widespread sharing of similar images and claims on social media, the same claim can be found through the links provided here: Link 1 (archived), Link 2 (archived), Link 3 (archived), Link 4 (archived), Link 5 (archived), and Link 6 (archived).
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo investigated the claims by analyzing images and videos of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ return last week and directly seeking clarification from the corporation. This thorough inquiry uncovered the following findings.
Sunita Williams and fellow American astronaut Butch Willmore safely returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, following a challenging period of over nine months stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Both astronauts were initially sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024 for an eight-day orbital mission aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. However, their mission was unexpectedly prolonged due to technical issues.
They were successfully sent back home aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, along with fellow American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Through an analysis of images and videos from Sunita Williams’ return home from the International Space Station (ISS) last week, we determined that the image cited in the claim does not depict her most recent return from the space mission.
Images released by NASA depict American astronaut Sunita Williams, clad in a SpaceX-designed space suit, being assisted as she exited the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after its splashdown in the waters off Florida.
By examining the spacesuit she is wearing in the image, it can be inferred that the photo is from one of her orbital missions in previous years.
However, we could not locate the original image that had been widely circulated on social media platforms.
It is also intriguing to consider whether she would have been able to speak on the phone with someone just minutes after landing on Earth, given the unstable state of her health at the time.
Due to these factors, the image’s authenticity was questioned. To address this uncertainty, we conducted an AI-image analysis using the SightEngine website, which confirmed that the image had been created using artificial intelligence.
Below is an image captured from the analysis conducted using the AI image detection tool on the SightEngine website.
We contacted Bajaj Finance for clarification and comments; however, the corporation has not responded yet. We will share updated information as soon as they reply to our inquiry.
Through Google Reverse Image Search, we discovered that the claim was satirical and originated from a social media page known for frequently sharing memes and satirical content.
Below is a screenshot of the satirical post published by the Facebook Page “Dear Crush” on March 20, 2025.
As satirical content goes viral on social media platforms, the Indian media outlet Times Now published a report (archived) describing it as “hilarious memes,” welcoming her return by numerous social media users, most of whom are from India.
Born to an Indian American father and Slovenian American mother, Sunita Williams, 59, is an American astronaut and a retired U.S. Navy officer.
She safely returned to Earth from the ISS last week after her 8-day orbital mission was unexpectedly extended to over 9 months due to technical issues with Boeing’s spacecraft that delayed her return.
Since 2007, she has completed multiple orbital missions to the International Space Station and spent 62 hours and 6 minutes across nine spacewalks, ranking fourth globally and second among female astronauts.
CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo has determined that the claim is false. It originates from satirical content featuring an AI-generated image depicting American astronaut Sunita Williams talking on the phone. Authentic NASA-released images depict Sunita Williams wearing a SpaceX-designed space suit during her most recent return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).
Title:Satirical Claim of Sunita Williams Receiving Bajaj Finance Loan Goes Viral
Fact Check By: Jay UdomResult: False
