PM Modi Connects with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Aboard ISS, Hailing Historic Milestone
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had an important virtual meeting with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had an important virtual meeting with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission. This is a significant moment for India, as Shukla becomes the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS and the second Indian to go into space in over four decades, following Rakesh Sharma's flight in 1984.
Group Captain Shukla, along with three international crew members—Mission Commander Peggy Whitson from the USA, Mission Specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary—began their journey on SpaceX's Dragon capsule from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre on June 25. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on Thursday, starting their two-week stay for scientific experiments and technology demonstrations.
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During their conversation, shared via video conferencing and highlighted by the Prime Minister's Office on X, PM Modi expressed the pride of 1.4 billion Indians. He said, the special meaning of Shukla's name, including "Shubh" which he signals to the successful journey begins as "shubh-aarambh".
A fun moment during the interaction happened when the Prime Minister asked about the 'gajar ka halwa' (carrot dessert) that Shukla had brought with him. Shukla confirmed that he and his fellow astronauts had enjoyed the sweet treat along with other Indian desserts he carried.
Before the mission's launch, PM Modi congratulated Group Captain Shukla and the entire Axiom-4 crew. He emphasized that Shukla carried the "wishes, hopes, and dreams of 1.4 billion Indians" into space.
During their time on the ISS, the Axiom-4 crew will conduct a series of experiments, with Group Captain Shukla leading seven of the 60 planned investigations. This mission shows a successful partnership between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), fulfilling a commitment made by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send an Indian astronaut to the Space Station.
In his first message from the ISS, Group Captain Shukla expressed his gratitude and honor at being there, stating, "It is a privilege to be here." He looked forward to an "amazing" two-week stay focused on advancing science and research, expressing confidence in the mission's success and the teamwork of the crew.