Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, 39, became the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station and only the second in Indian history to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
A watch party was organised at the Shukla's alma mater City Montessori School in Lucknow where his parents watched the lift off through live streaming. Chants of "Hip Hip Hurray", spontaneous bhangra and quiet tears were observed Shukla lifted off into space, on board the SpaceX Falcon 9-rocket from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on Wednesday.
After the Dragon spacecraft was placed in orbit around the Earth at an altitude of 200 km, Shukla said, "Kamaal ki ride thi (It was a great ride)."
Axiom-4 Mission
SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket blasted off from the KSC in Florida at 12:01 pm IST carrying the astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission towards the ISS.
Pilot Shukla is sharing the capsule with former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space which will contribute to microgravity research in areas including human physiology, nutrition, and seed germination in space.
The astronauts began orbiting the Earth 10 minutes after the launch, prompting Shukla to announce India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years.
The spacecraft is expected to dock at the ISS at 4:30 pm on Thursday, capping a 28-hour journey.
Once in orbit, the astronauts revealed the name they gave to their brand-new capsule – Grace.
Shubhanshu Shukla's First Words After Lift Off
"Namaskar, my dear countrymen; we have reached space after 41 years. It was a great ride," Shukla said.
"We are orbiting Earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second, I have the Indian tricolour embossed on my shoulders that tells me that I am with all of you," he said in Hindi.
"It is not just the start of my journey to the ISS but also of India's human spaceflight. I want each one of you to be part of this journey, let us embark on India's human space programme together," Shukla said.
Who Is Shubhabshu Shukla?
Shubhanshu Shukla was born in Lucknow in 1985 to Shambhu Shukla and Asha Shukla,
He received his education from Montessori through Class 12 at City Montessori School in Aliganj.
Shukla went on to graduate from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2006.
Shukla has over 2,000 hours of flight experience on elite combat aircraft. He was selected in 2019 for India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.
In 2025 he was named as the pilot for Axiom-4.
Family And Close Ones React To His Achievement
The proud parents were there with many others at CMS Kanpur Road's World Unity Convention Centre (WUCC) auditorium to witness the launch live. Among those gathered were his his sisters, senior defence personnel, CMS faculty, the city's who's who and wide-eyed students.
"It's a great moment not just for us but for our country. What can we say at this moment, I am struggling for words now. My blessings are always there with my son," his father Shambhu Shukla told PTI.
"I have nothing more to say at this moment. I am delighted," Shubhanshu's mother Asha Shukla said. "I know he will be successful. Though I am eagerly looking forward for him to return after a successful mission, I also know that even after returning back on earth, it will take a while before he actually gets to back amongst us," she told PTI.
Posters of Shubhanshu congratulating him on his historic space voyage have come up all over the state capital. And his alma mater CMS hosted Vyomotsav, an immersive watch-party that transformed the campus into a vibrant "mini space centre", paying tribute to its illustrious alumnus.
CMS founder-director Bharti Gandhi said, "Many CMS students have brought us laurels, but Shubhanshu's journey to space will forever shine as a beacon of possibility for every Indian child." Added the school president and manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, "We are all overjoyed. Though their rocket is yet to reach the space, we are already over the moon." "From a curious young learner in our classrooms to a pioneering astronaut, Shux's story beautifully encapsulates our school's mission of 'Education for World Unity and Peace'."
Shukla Said, 'It Is The Journey Of 1.4 Billion'
Before the flight, Shukla said that he hopes "to ignite the curiosity of an entire generation in my country" and drive innovation.
"I truly believe that even though I, as an individual, am travelling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people," he said.
Shukla is expected to participate in several outreach events during his stay at the ISS and is also expected to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
