PM Hails Shubhanshu Shukla as the Torchbearer of 1.4 Billion Indians’ Hopes

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the second Indian to travel to space, piloting the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 flight. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement, saying Shukla carries the hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. The mission launched from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A, used by Neil Armstrong in 1969. President Droupadi Murmu praised the India-NASA-ISRO collaboration and noted the scientific significance of the experiments planned aboard the ISS. Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot, will spend about two weeks on the ISS conducting research for India.