Lagatar24 Desk
Lucknow: The moment Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom-4 mission successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, his family home in Lucknow erupted in an emotional celebration. His mother, Asha Shukla, watched the live broadcast with folded hands and tearful eyes, while his father Shambhu Dayal Shukla stood proudly, overwhelmed by joy.
A national milestone marked with personal emotion
Shubhanshu’s alma mater witnessed spontaneous applause as students waved the national flag, celebrating their alumnus who made history by becoming the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma. The 39-year-old IAF pilot reached the ISS after a 28-hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
‘Just wait for me, I’m coming’
Ahead of liftoff, Shubhanshu’s message to his family was simple: “Just wait for me, I’m coming.” His mother performed a virtual dahi-cheeni ritual — a traditional blessing — via video call. “These are tears of joy,” she said. “He’s going so far, but he will come back stronger.” His sister Gunjan called it a festival-like moment for the entire family.
Tiranga on his shoulder, pride in his voice
From orbit, Shukla shared a powerful message: “The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you. We’re orbiting Earth at 7.5 km per second. This isn’t just my journey — it’s the beginning of India’s Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!”
Symbolic pride, priceless emotion
While India hasn’t disclosed the mission’s cost, similar seats have fetched up to $100 million. But for the nation, the emotional value far outweighs the price. As Shubhanshu and the Axiom-4 crew entered the ISS, India took one more step into the stars — led by a man carrying the flag across space.
