India Reaches for the Stars Again, Carried by One of Its Own

"I carry with me not only tools and machinery, but also the hopes and aspirations of a billion hearts."

Those were the words with which Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla – an Indian Air Force pilot from Lucknow – thundered into the pages of history, as he became the second Indian in space, and the first to head towards the International Space Station (ISS).

On June 25, at precisely 12:01 IST, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off from the historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida — the very pad from where Apollo 11 was launched to the Moon. On the Crew Dragon capsule: four astronauts, one of whom held the Indian Tricolour close to his heart.

The Space Between Dreams and Destiny

It has been 41 years since India launched another astronaut into the space outside the Earth's atmosphere. The last was in 1984 — Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, whose iconic response to Indira Gandhi from orbit, "Saare jahan se achha", is still written in every Indian's heart. Now, in 2025, another son of India has reignited that cosmic connection.

Born in Lucknow in 1985, Group Captain Shukla's ascent from a middle-class family to the heavens is both remarkable and representative of India's growing scientific ambition. A graduate of the National Defence Academy, he was turned into a fighter pilot in 2006 and has over the years commanded aircraft that range from MiGs and Sukhois to Jaguars and Hawks. A test pilot with more than 2,000 flying hours of experience, he shot up the ranks almost immediately and was promoted to the rank of Group Captain in March 2024.

His fate was sealed in 2019, when ISRO shortlisted him for the Gaganyaan mission — India's indigenous manned spaceflight program. In 2020, he underwent intensive training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia, later attending advanced training at ISRO's centres in Bengaluru. This year, while India anticipates its maiden indigenous spaceflight in 2027, ISRO got him a ride on the commercial Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) with NASA and SpaceX — an investment of close to Rs 500 crore.

The Billion Prayers Ride

A few minutes into the flight, a composed but teary-eyed Shukla spoke to his country: "After 41 years, we're back in space. On my shoulder, the Indian flag. It's not a trip to the ISS; it's the dawn of India's human space flight era."

His parents, Asha and Shambhu Dayal Shukla, at home in Lucknow, saw the lift-off with tearful eyes and beaming smiles. "He's realising the dreams of generations," his mother said, her voice shaking with happiness.

Across India, schools, science centres, and homes erupted in applause. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch, calling Shukla “the bearer of 1.4 billion hopes and aspirations.”

Science in Orbit

Shukla is commanding a mission commanded by seasoned NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, supported by mission specialists from Poland and Hungary. During the 14-day sojourn on the ISS, the crew will carry out 60 high-tech experiments — seven of them suggested by Indian scientists.

One will investigate the response of six varieties of crop seeds in microgravity — vital information for space agriculture in the future. Another will examine the development of microalgae that may be utilised for life support systems, biofuels, and food in deep-space missions. A third will track tardigrades, tiny animals that have been shown to withstand extreme conditions, providing an insight into biology under cosmic stress.

Other Indian experiments will examine muscle loss, screen usage in space, and cognitive performance — topics critical for long-term human survival beyond Earth.

ISRO has also planned student interactions with Shukla live from space. An unprecedented video conversation with Prime Minister Modi is expected in the coming days — a moment sure to inspire millions of young Indians.

The Face of New India in Space

At 39, Shubhanshu Shukla is a new face of Indian ambition — fearless, well-prepared, and a team player. A war-toughened leader, technocrat, and a father, Shukla is not a passenger on this ride but a pilot guiding India's space diplomacy in the world.

His task is greater than symbolic. It is India's third and final step onto the international stage of human spaceflight. With Gaganyaan scheduled for 2027, a space station by 2035, and a lunar landing in 2040, India is no longer satisfied playing regional space power. It is reaching for the stars — literally.

This Is Just the Beginning

As Ax-4 spacecraft makes its orbit around Earth at 7.5 km per second, India has set itself off into a new orbit of potentiality. Space is no longer the preserve of superpowers alone. With Group Captain Shukla at the helm, India has declared that it has come to stay — and to stay at the top. 

This is not the tale of one man flying high. It is the tale of a nation flying higher.

From the Kargil skies to the stars beyond – India's cosmic odyssey is no longer a deferred dream. It is a dream in progress...

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