‘A moment of pride’: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla returns to India

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who became the first Indian to visit International Space Station, returned to India on Sunday.

He was received at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and ISRO chairperson V Narayanan.

Singh called it a “moment of pride for India”.

“A moment of pride for India! A moment of glory for ISRO! A moment of gratitude to the dispensation that facilitated this under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi,” he said.

Taking to X, the minister said, “India’s Space glory touches the Indian soil… as the iconic son of Mother India, Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla lands at Delhi in the early hours of morning today.”

Singh said that along with Shukla was Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, one of the astronauts selected for India’s first human mission Gaganyaan, who was India’s designated backup for the mission to the ISS.

Shukla's wife was also present at the airport.

He is likely to meet the Prime Minister and will visit his family in Lucknow.

Shukla will again come back to the national capital to attend the function of National Space Day from August 22-23 at Bharat Mandapam.