Bhangra and tears in Lucknow as city-boy Shubhanshu Shukla lift off to space
As the rocket pierced through Florida skies, Group Captain Shukla became only the second Indian history to travel to space after Rakesh Shukla in 1984 and the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station.
"It's a great moment not just for us but for our country. What can we say at this moment, I am struggling for words now. My blessings are always there with my son," his father Shambhu Shukla told PTI.
"I have nothing more to say at this moment. I am delighted," Shubhanshu's mother Asha Shukla said. "I know he will be successful. Though I am eagerly looking forward for him to return after a successful mission, I also know that even after returning back on earth, it will take a while before he actually gets to back amongst us," she told PTI.
The proud parents were there with many others at CMS Kanpur Road's World Unity Convention Centre (WUCC) auditorium to witness the launch live. Among those gathered were his his sisters, senior defence personnel, CMS faculty, the city's who's who and wide-eyed students. There was thunderous applause, cheers and impromptu bhangra as the rocket lifted off.
Also read: 'Tiranga on my shoulders': Shubhanshu Shukla after historic Axiom-4 launch
Posters of Shubhanshu Shukla congratulating him on his historic space voyage have come up all over the state capital. And his alma mater CMS hosted Vyomotsav, an immersive watch-party that transformed the campus into a vibrant "mini space centre", paying tribute to its illustrious alumnus.
The celebrations are set to continue through the day. CMS also arranged a live AXIOM mission broadcast, a replica of the ISS Cupola module, a "Defy Gravity" photo booth, telescope viewings, and a simulated Mission Control Centre.
Born in Lucknow in 1985 and educated from Montessori through Class 12 at CMS Aliganj, Shukla went on to graduate from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2006. With over 2,000 hours of flight experience on elite combat aircraft, he was selected in 2019 for India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and later chosen as the pilot for Ax-4.
Sharing the capsule with NASA senior Dr. Peggy Whitson (mission commander) and astronauts from Hungary and Poland, the 39-year-old's 14-day mission as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space will contribute to microgravity research in areas including human physiology, nutrition, and seed germination in space.
CMS founder-director Bharti Gandhi said, 'Many CMS students have brought us laurels, but Shubhanshu's journey to space will forever shine as a beacon of possibility for every Indian child.' Added the school president and manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, "We are all overjoyed. Though their rocket is yet to reach the space, we are already over the moon."
"From a curious young learner in our classrooms to a pioneering astronaut, Shux's story beautifully encapsulates our school's mission of 'Education for World Unity and Peace'."
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Business Standard
36 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Shubhanshu Shukla returns Sunday after historic space mission, to meet PM
He is expected to be back in the capital to participate in the National Space Day celebrations on August 22-23 Press Trust of India New Delhi Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to return to India on Sunday after his historic visit to the International Space Station (ISS) and is eager to share his experiences with friends and colleagues back home as ISRO eyes its maiden human spaceflight in 2027. Shukla, who has been in the US, training for the Axiom-4 mission to ISS for the past one year, is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and travel to his hometown Lucknow soon after. He is expected to be back in the capital to participate in the National Space Day celebrations on August 22-23. Shukla posted on Instagram a smiling photograph of himself sitting in an aeroplane, and said in its caption that he was filled with mixed emotions as he left the US and could not wait to return to India to share his experiences with everyone back home. "As I sit on the plane to come back to India, I have a mix of emotions running through my heart. I feel sad leaving a fantastic group of people behind who were my friends and family for the past one year during this mission. I am also excited about meeting all my friends, family and everyone in the country for the first time post mission. I guess this is what life is -- everything all at once," Shukla said in the post. "Having received incredible love and support from everyone during and after the mission, I can't wait to come back to India to share my experiences with all of you. Goodbyes are hard but we need to keep moving in life. As my commander Peggy Whitson fondly says, 'the only constant in spaceflight is change'. I believe that applies to life as well," he said. Shukla also added, "I guess at the end of the day -'Yun hi chala chal rahi - jeevan gaadi hai samay pahiya'," recalling the song from the Bollywood movie Swades that was on his playlist just before he embarked on the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS on June 25 from the US. Shukla and his backup astronaut Prashanth Nair participated in the Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Consulate in Houston on Friday. Addressing the 79th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India was developing its own space station and recalled that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from a space mission. "Our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. In the coming days, he is returning to India," Modi had said. Shukla was part of the Axiom-4 private space mission that lifted off from Florida on June 25 and docked at the International Space Station on June 26. He returned to Earth on July 15. Along with three other astronauts -- Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) -- Shukla conducted over 60 experiments and 20 outreach sessions during the 18-day mission. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Shubhanshu Shukla to be back in India tomorrow days after historic space mission
Shukla spent 20 days at the International Space Station as part of the mission, a feat that was hailed as historic in India. He posted about his homecoming on Instagram, accompanied by an emotional caption. During his time in space, Shukla conducted seven India-specific experiments Indian astronaut and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is on his way back home and will arrive in India on August 17. This is the first time in nearly a year that Shukla will be returning to India after he left for the US to train for the Axiom-4 mission. Shukla spent 20 days at the International Space Station as part of the mission, a feat that was hailed as historic in India. He posted about his homecoming on Instagram, accompanied by an emotional caption. During his time in space, Shukla conducted seven India-specific experiments. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'As I sit on the plane to come back to India I have a mix of emotions running through my heart. I feel sad leaving a fantastic group of people behind who were my friends and family for the past one year during this mission. I am also excited about meeting all my friends, family and everyone in the country for the first time post mission. I guess this is what life is - everything all at once,' he said. India reportedly spent Rs 548 crore for Shukla's seat, as part of the Gaganyaan mission, which has a total budget of Rs 20,000 crore aimed at sending three astronauts into low Earth orbit following a series of uncrewed test flights. The ambitious program aims to send an Indian astronaut into space aboard an Indian rocket, launched from Indian soil, using entirely indigenous technology. If successful, India would become only the fourth country in the world to achieve this milestone, after Russia (then the USSR), the United States, and China. China reached this milestone in 2003, and no other nation has done so since using its own technology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Shukla's successful journey to space as he announced the creation of India's own space station as part of the self-reliance push in his Independence Day speech. India's space ambitions have expanded significantly in recent years, with milestones such as the successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing and the launch of the Aditya-L1 solar mission. These achievements not only demonstrate technological capability but also position India as a competitive force in global space exploration. The government continues to promote private sector involvement and international collaboration to accelerate innovation and expand the nation's presence in space.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Shubhanshu Shukla to return to India on Sunday, to meet PM Modi
NEW DELHI: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to return to India on Sunday after his historic visit to the International Space Station (ISS) and is eager to share his experiences with friends and colleagues back home as ISRO eyes its maiden human spaceflight in 2027. Shukla, who has been in the US, training for the Axiom-4 mission to ISS for the past one year, is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and travel to his hometown Lucknow soon after. He is expected to be back in the capital to participate in the National Space Day celebrations on August 22-23. Shukla posted on Instagram a smiling photograph of himself sitting in an aeroplane, and said in its caption that he was filled with mixed emotions as he left the US and could not wait to return to India to share his experiences with everyone back home. "As I sit on the plane to come back to India, I have a mix of emotions running through my heart. I feel sad leaving a fantastic group of people behind who were my friends and family for the past one year during this mission. I am also excited about meeting all my friends, family and everyone in the country for the first time post mission. I guess this is what life is -- everything all at once," Shukla said in the post.
