Shubhanshu Shukla returns to India to a heat welcome

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla returned to India within the early hours of Sunday (August 17, 2025) after his historic go to to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Shukla, who has been within the U.S. coaching for the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS over the previous 12 months, was welcomed on the airport by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan.

Mr. Shukla’s backup astronaut, Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, additionally returned to the homeland.

Mr. Shukla is predicted to satisfy Prime Minister Narendra Modi and journey to his hometown, Lucknow, shortly. He can be anticipated to return to the capital to take part within the National Space Day celebrations on August 22–23.

India’s area glory touches Indian soil… as the enduring son of Mother India, #Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla, lands in Delhi within the early hours of this morning. Accompanying him, one other equally completed Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, one of many astronauts chosen for India’s first human mission Gaganyaan, who was India’s designated backup for the mission to the International Space Station #ISS,” Mr. Singh mentioned in a publish on X.

Earlier on Saturday, Mr. Shukla had posted a smiling {photograph} of himself sitting in an aeroplane on Instagram, saying he was stuffed with combined feelings as he left the U.S. and regarded ahead to returning to India to share his experiences with everybody again house.

“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 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,” Mr. Shukla mentioned within the publish.

“Having received incredible love and support from everyone during and after the mission, I can’t wait to come back to India to share my experiences with all of you. Goodbyes are hard, but we need to keep moving in life. As my commander Peggy Whitson fondly says, ‘The only constant in spaceflight is change.’ I believe that applies to life as well,” he added.

Mr. Shukla additionally wrote, “I guess at the end of the day – ‘Yun hi chala chal rahi – jeevan gaadi hai samay pahiya’,” recalling the tune from the Bollywood film Swades, which was on his playlist simply earlier than he launched into the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS on June 25 from the US.

Mr. Shukla and his backup astronaut Prashanth Nair participated within the Independence Day celebrations on the Indian Consulate in Houston on Friday (August 15, 2025).

Addressing the 79th Independence Day celebrations on the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (August 15, 2025) mentioned India was creating its personal area station and famous that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla had returned from an area mission.

“Our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. In the coming days, he is returning to India,” Mr. Modi had mentioned.

Mr. Shukla was a part of the Axiom-4 personal area mission that lifted off from Florida on June 25 and docked on the International Space Station on June 26. He returned to Earth on 15 July.

Along with three different astronauts — Peggy Whitson (U.S.), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) — Mr. Shukla performed over 60 experiments and 20 outreach periods throughout the 18-day mission.