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From Malihabad To Milky Way: Shubhanshu Shukla's 'Khaane Ka Dabba' To Take Aamras, Halwa To Space
Packed with emotion and a feeling of home, the food container is more than just sustenance—it's a story of tradition, family, and identity floating 400 kilometres above Earth
As the countdown begins for India's historic return to space, the spotlight has turned to not just the astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, but also something very close to his heart: the carefully prepared 'khane ka dabba' that will accompany him aboard the Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Packed with emotion and a feeling of home, the food container is more than just sustenance—it's a story of tradition, family, and identity floating 400 kilometres above Earth.
Among the standout items in Shubhanshu's space menu is 'aamras' made from Malihabadi mangoes, a seasonal delicacy and one of his childhood favourites. The mango pulp, freshly extracted from the famed Dussehri mangoes of Lucknow's Malihabadi Mango belt, has been specially prepared by his mother, Asha Shukla, following stringent NASA and Axiom dietary safety norms.
'These mangoes smell like home," says his sister Suchi Shukla, a science teacher in Lucknow. 'He wanted to carry a part of our summer with him. Malihabad mangoes have a fragrance you can identify even with your eyes closed. The 'aamras' was pureed, dehydrated, and vacuum-sealed in labs so that it's suitable for microgravity conditions. But the taste is all Maa," she told News18.
The mangoes were handpicked from a family friend's orchard in Malihabad and ripened naturally. His mother Asha Shukla said the pulp was not spiced much. 'We wanted to retain the fruit's sweetness. I only added a touch of cardamom. He loves it that way," she said.
Alongside it is a portion of moong dal halwa, slow-roasted in ghee with a hint of green cardamom and garnished with almond slivers—one of Shubhanshu 's favourite comfort dishes. Another dessert in his dabba is gajar ka halwa, made from desi red carrots, slow-cooked in milk and khoya, and then packaged to maintain flavour and consistency in microgravity. The space menu also includes steamed basmati rice, which can be paired with international freeze-dried curries available aboard the ISS. These preparations were reportedly made at home with the help of ISRO's Food Science Division and in adherence to NASA-Axiom guidelines.
The Sentimental Value of Space Food
While astronauts worldwide often carry something symbolic from home—be it dried miso soup, borscht, or tortillas—Shubhanshu's 'dabba' brings a slice of Lucknow and a whiff of Malihabad to the ISS. His family believes this food is more than flavour; it's a symbol of India's cultural richness being carried into orbit.
His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, a retired government official, said: 'We used to send a tiffin when he went to school or later to NDA. This is the ultimate tiffin which is going to space."
Emotions Run High At Home
As the mission nears, the Shukla household in Rajajipuram, Lucknow, has transformed into a place of both prayer and celebration. Shukla's elder sister is flying in from Noida. A 'Satyanarayan Katha' and 'hawan' were conducted recently, and neighbours drop in daily to give their good wishes.
Asha Shukla, meanwhile, fights tears as she talks about her son's diet and discipline. 'He hasn't had homemade food regularly in years. He misses 'maa ke haathon ka khana'. Even when he visited last year, I made halwa first thing in the morning. That's what he craved."
She adds, 'I just want him to eat well, sleep well, and come back safely. The world will celebrate this mission. I just want my son home."
A Wholesome Life in a Box
Due to mission confidentiality, Shukla cannot reveal all the personal belongings he's carrying but the family believes a few photographs and handwritten notes may be tucked inside. 'He won't tell us, but I know my brother. He will carry something of us with him," Suchi says.
The Mission
Shukla will fly aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 10 at 5.52pm IST. He will be joined by astronauts from Hungary, Poland, and the United States, docking with the ISS in 28 hours.
The 14-day mission under Axiom Space is not just about research and international collaboration—it's a symbolic moment for India. The last time an Indian astronaut flew into space was Rakesh Sharma in 1984. Shukla, an accomplished fighter pilot with over 2,000 hours of flying experience, will now become the second Indian to be part of an operational spaceflight.
Though the world watches the ambitious space mission with awe and prays for its success, the truest preparations unfolded quietly in a modest kitchen—where ghee was gently melted, mangoes were lovingly pulped, and halwa was stirred.
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tags :
Axiom Space International Space Station Lucknow Mangoes nasa news18 specials SpaceX
Location :
Lucknow, India, India
First Published:
June 09, 2025, 11:57 IST
News india From Malihabad To Milky Way: Shubhanshu Shukla's 'Khaane Ka Dabba' To Take Aamras, Halwa To Space
