India’s space story reached a historic milestone as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to board the International Space Station (ISS). In a live interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 39-year-old astronaut reflected on the enormity of the moment and shared that India looks “bigger and grander from space than on the map.”
Shukla, the mission pilot of Axiom-4, is only the second Indian to enter space after Rakesh Sharma’s mission in1984. Launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the team completed a 28-hour journey before successfully docking with the ISS. Alongside Shukla are mission commander Peggy Whitson (US), and mission specialists from Poland and Hungary.
During their conversation, PM Modi expressed pride in Shukla’s journey, describing it as the “auspicious beginning of a new era” for India’s youth. Shukla, in return, shared his gratitude, emphasizing that his 400-km trip into orbit represents the dreams and efforts of the entire country. He called it a “completely new experience” and added that he is healthy and adjusting well to life in zero gravity.
He shared personal moments, revealing he brought carrot halwa and mango juice to space, offering a taste of India to his international crewmates. Speaking about life aboard the ISS, Shukla said adapting to sleeping without gravity is challenging, and mindfulness plays a key role in managing stress.
In a symbolic moment, Shukla noted that Earth appears united from space, with no visible borders—a reminder of our shared humanity.
PM Modi assigned Shukla a special responsibility: helping shape India’s ambitious space goals, including the Gaganyaan mission, a domestically built space station, and eventual human landings on the Moon.
This mission also involves over 60 scientific experiments, covering cancer research, DNA repair, and advanced manufacturing—making it Axiom’s most research-heavy mission so far.
Shukla closed the interaction with a powerful message to India’s youth: “Sky is never the limit,” followed by a spirited “Bharat Mata ki Jai!”
