After the triumphant completion of the Axiom-4 mission, Indian astronaut Subhanshu Shukla returned home to a rousing welcome at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The astronaut, who spent nearly a year as part of the international Ax-4 crew, was received by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and senior officials from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Outside the airport, the atmosphere was electric as large crowds waving the national flag and beating traditional dhols gathered to celebrate Shukla’s return. Many described the moment as historic, hailing Shukla as a symbol of India’s growing prowess in global space exploration.
Shukla is scheduled to travel to Lucknow to reunite with his family. He is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming days. Preparations are already underway for Shukla to resume training for the much-anticipated Gaganyaan Mission, slated for October.
Before boarding his flight to India, Shukla shared an emotional message reflecting on his transformative journey:
“As I sit on the plane to come back to India, I have a mix of emotions running through my heart. I feel sad leaving a fantastic group of people behind who were my friends and family for the past one year during this mission. I am also excited about meeting all my friends, family and everyone in the country for the first time post mission. I guess this is what life is — everything all at once.”
The Ax-4 mission, operated under Axiom Space’s commercial spaceflight program, involved critical research work, international outreach, and operational activities contributing to next-generation space technologies. Shukla’s participation marked another significant step in India’s expanding presence in global space collaboration.
Source: India Today
