Sunita Williams visits ancestral home in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) - American astronaut Sunita Williams flew to India on Thursday to visit the home of her father's side of the family, and was welcomed and garlanded as a homecoming hero.

Williams became famous across India during her six-month stay on the International Space Station beginning last December -- the longest ever for a female astronaut.

Although she was born and raised in the U.S. to an Indian father and a mother of Slovenian heritage, the Indian media treats Williams as a homegrown hero and a symbol of national pride.

A scrum of journalists and fans greeted her arrival at Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, which dominated the news for much of the day.

Williams, 42, has said she was humbled by the enthusiastic support she received from many Indians during her time in space. During that trip she took along with her a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text, and some samosas.

"Indians can achieve anything they want, limitations are only decided by us," she said on Thursday during a visit to the Sabarmati Ashram, which was set up by Mahatma Gandhi, an icon of the Indian independence movement.

At least one inspired young Indian agreed with her.

"She is a hero and an inspiration, I want to work on a space mission in NASA, just like her," said Swati Ahir, a school student who went to greet Williams at the airport.

During her week-long stay in India, Williams will attend an event with Narendra Modi, Gujarat's chief minister, and will visit her family.

She will also speak at the 58th International Astronautical Congress in Hyderabad.