'This Is Our First Step': PM Modi Hails Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's Space Mission
PM Modi met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla at his residence on Monday. A video of their interaction was shared on multiple platforms on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's space mission, and said this was just 'the first step", as the two met at the former's Lok Kalyan Marg residence.
During their interaction, Shukla, who became the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), narrated his space experience to the Prime Minister.
Shukla, who was part of the Axiom-4 commercial mission to the ISS from June 25-July 15, was wearing an ISRO astronaut's jacket as he met PM Modi. The Prime Minister welcomed Shukla with a warm hug and walked with him with his arm on the astronaut's shoulder.
view comments
First Published:
August 19, 2025, 09:42 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Loading comments...
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Amid Trump tariffs, Jaishankar invites Russian firms to engage ‘more intensively' with India
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday called upon Russian companies to engage "more intensively" with its Indian counterparts, citing New Delhi's initiatives that have opened more avenues for foreign businesses. S Jaishankar during the 26th Session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural cooperation, in Moscow(@DrSJaishankar) Addressing the India-Russia Business Forum in Moscow, Jaishankar highlighted the time-tested relationship the two countries have shared and called for deeper economic ties amid global uncertainty. "The 'Make in India' and other such initiatives have opened up new windows for foreign businesses. The modernisation and the urbanisation of India generate their own demands, flowing from shifts in consumption and lifestyle. Each of these dimensions represent an invitation for Russian companies to engage more intensively with their Indian counterparts. Our endeavour is to encourage them to rise to that challenge," he said. Jaishankar made the remarks after he highlighted how India's GDP was on a rise, drawing focus on the "need for large resources from dependable sources". "In some cases, it could be assured supplies of essential products, fertiliser, chemicals, and machinery, being good examples. Its rapidly growing infrastructure offers business openings to enterprises with an established track record in their own country," said Jaishankar. The External Affairs Minister's invite to Russian companies comes days ahead of US President Donald Trump's 50% tariff deadline for India. The Republican had earlier announced 25% duties on Indian imports, which he later doubled, citing India's oil trade with Russia. While one half of these tariffs have been imposed, the other are set to take effect on August 27. 'India-Russia ties one of steadiest' Further pushing for deeper trade ties between the two countries, S Jaishankar said in Moscow that while India and Russia's ties have been one of the steadiest over the years, it didn't reflect as much on the economic cooperation between them. "Our trade basket remains limited and till recently, so did our trade volume. It may have grown in recent years, but then, so too has the trade deficit. Both the diversification and balancing of trade now urgently mandate more strenuous efforts on our part. At the end of the day, they are essential not just to reach higher trade targets but even to sustain the existing levels," Jaishankar said. Pushing for both nations to contemplate more investments, joint ventures and other forms of collaboration, Jaishankar said that him and Russia's first deputy prime minister Denis Manturov want to send out a "clear message that an enduring strategic partnership must have a strong and sustainable economic component". Jaishankar also pushed for a sync between what the respective governments are discussing and what businesses are planning in order for India and Russia to collaborate better economically.
The Hindu
27 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Protesting teachers in Bengal dejected after Supreme Court junks review petition
Protesting teachers dejected after the Supreme Court rejected multiple review petitions to reconsider its April 3 judgement which upheld the annulment of the appointment of nearly 24,000 school staff, including teachers and non-teaching staff. Disappointed teachers said that both the West Bengal State government and the judicial system have 'failed' them. In an order on August 5 made public on August 19, the apex court said, 'No doubt, invalidation of such untainted appointments would lead to heartburn and anguish, which the Court was fully conscious of, but protecting the purity of the selection process is paramount and necessarily has to be given the highest priority.' Several 'untainted' teachers have questioned the judgement, questioning that the top court should have heard the review petitions if it was so 'anguished' by the teachers' plight. Chinmoy Mondal, a leader of the Jogyo Shikkhok Shikkhika Adhikar Mancha (JSSAM) said that only providing age relaxation and forcing the 'untainted' candidates like him and 15,000 others to reappear for the recruitment process is disappointing. 'We got no grace marks for our years of work, no seat reservations, then what relaxation did we get?' Mr. Mondal said on Wednesday (August 20, 2025). More than 180-200 review petitions were filed at the Supreme Court urging the top judiciary to reconsider their judgement. The order also stated, 'These review petitions which, in effect, seek a re-hearing of the entire matter on merits, therefore, do not deserve to be entertained as all relevant aspects have already been examined and considered comprehensively.' The 'untainted' teachers also asked for an extension on the re-examination date which is scheduled to be held on September 7 and 14. 'We hardly have 2-3 weeks left to prepare for the exams. Even if we study for 20 hours a day, we will not make it,' Mr. Mondal said. Mehboob Mondal, another teacher and leader of JSSAM said that around 13,000 of the 'untainted' teachers filled up the new recruitment form but nearly 3,000 could not as the new recruitment rules were different from the ones they followed during the 2016 recruitment drive. 'The Indian judicial system is not working according to the constitution. If the court has all evidence of who the 'untainted' candidates are, then why did they do this to us? They are doing this to protect the real criminals and killing us in the process. Both government and the judiciary have failed us,' Mr. Mondal told The Hindu. The teachers are now preparing to reappear for the exam nine years after they appeared for the same exam conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission in 2016. However, this time, they will have to compete with thousands of other new and young candidates despite having served in State-run public schools for the past 7-8 years. On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court order which cancelled the appointment of all candidates in the 2016 panel. However, on April 17, the apex court allowed 'untainted' candidates to continue in service until December 31, or until a fresh selection process is completed, but the same relaxation was not given to the non-teaching staff neither have any new re-recruitment notification been issued for the non-teaching staff. The thousands of non-teaching staff have not received any salary since last April and on multiple occasions have said that their families are struggling to make ends meet.
Economic Times
27 minutes ago
- Economic Times
ET WLF: John Kerry, Shashi Tharoor, and Matteo Renzi to dissect fiery geopolitics
Synopsis John Kerry, Shashi Tharoor, and Matteo Renzi will discuss world affairs at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum in New Delhi. Their experience will provide insights into current geopolitical issues. Kerry will share his perspective on the US-India relationship. Tharoor, a diplomat and MP, brings global experience. Renzi, former Italian PM, handled various international challenges. Agencies Former US Secretary of State and presidential candidate John Kerry; celebrated diplomat, author and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs Shashi Tharoor; and former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi will be among the star draws, dissecting world affairs at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum this week in New geopolitical flux affecting every walk of life, insights culled from the heft of experience that Kerry, Tharoor and Renzi bring to the table will illuminate the invited audience at ET's flagship who served as the US special presidential envoy for climate with authority over energy and climate policy in the Biden administration till last year, has also previously chaired the US Senate foreign relations committee. He will share his thoughts on the fast-evolving recent relationship between the world's oldest and largest democracies. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for US president in 2004. Shashi Tharoor, a celebrated author and career UN diplomat who entered Indian politics after serving as undersecretary general at the global body, is a four-time Lok Sabha MP. He has been a practitioner and commentator in global diplomacy for decades. He recently led one of the all-party delegations that the government assembled to drum up support globally after Operation Sindoor. The delegation wrapped up its tour in the US, with a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance in June, after visiting Panama, Guyana, Colombia and Brazil. As Prime Minister of Italy between 2014 and 2016, Renzi handled a number of geopolitical challenges, including the European debt crisis, the civil war in Libya, Russia's military intervention in Crimea and the insurgency by Islamic State in West Asia. He has worked closely with global leaders such as Barack Obama of the US, Shinzo Abe of Japan, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and François Hollande of France.
