India is still 'Sare Jahan Se Accha', says Shubhanshu Shukla in final message from space

Time of India

2 days ago

Muhammad Iqbal's words 'Sare Jahan Se Accha' — better than the rest of the world — echoed in Space one more time, 41 years after it was first uttered by Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma.
This time, it was astronaut
Shubhanshu Shukla
(Shux), who reiterated the sentiment from the International Space Station (ISS).
In his final message from the ISS, Shux said in Hindi during the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) farewell ceremony on Sunday: 'Forty-one years ago, an Indian went to space and told us how India looked from space. And I'm sure all of us want to know how India looks today. Today's India looks ambitious, fearless, confident, filled with pride.
And because of all of this, today's India still looks better than the whole world (Sare Jahan Se Accha).
'I've had a fantastic journey,' Shukla said, addressing fellow Indians watching back home. 'As this journey completes, our [yours and mine] journey is long. India's human spaceflight journey is both long and challenging. But I assure you, if we decide, even the stars are attainable,' he told Indians.
Shukla's message capped an eventful two-and-a-half weeks aboard the ISS, where the Ax-4 crew conducted scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and education outreach activities.
The crew also frequently found time to gaze back at Earth — a view that Shukla said 'almost seems magical.'
Reflecting on his launch aboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket on June 25, Shukla said: 'I didn't imagine all of this when I started on the Falcon-9 on June 25. And I think it has been incredible because of the people involved. People standing behind me (referring to the Expedition 73 crew), have made it really special for us.
It was an incredible joy to be here and work alongside professionals like you.'
Shukla expressed gratitude to Isro, Axiom Space, Nasa, and SpaceX for making the mission possible, and acknowledged the students and researchers back home who contributed to the outreach and science programmes.
'...I agree with Tibor [Kapu] that these missions have far reaching implications that go beyond science. And I believe it will do so in our country.
I carry with me a lot of memories and learnings. But what stays with me most is what humanity can achieve when we all come together for a common goal,' he said.
Ax-4 mission commander Peggy Whitson, mission specialists Tibor Kapu and Slawosz Uznanski also addressed people in their respective countries and thanked the Expedition 73 crew for making their stay at the ISS incredible.
As per current plans, the crew is expected to undock from the ISS at 4.35pm on July 14 and splashdown off the coast of California at around 3pm on July 15.