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JANUARY 02, 2026 | The Indian Eye 9

TOP NEWSMAKERS OF 2025

Shubhanshu Shukla:

India’s Second Astronaut and the Quiet

Leap Into a New Space Age

In 2025, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became India’s second astronaut

and the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station, turning a historic mission into

a springboard for India’s future in human spaceflight.

hen Group Captain Shubhanshu Shuk- 2025, Shukla returned to India, where he under-
la lifted off aboard a SpaceX Dragon went post-mission rehabilitation and was formally
Wspacecraft on June 25, 2025, he was not welcomed by the nation’s leadership. His meeting
merely embarking on a personal journey into or- with Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored
bit. He was carrying with him the weight of national the political and strategic importance attached to
expectation and the promise of India’s next chap- the mission, particularly in the context of India’s
ter in space exploration. Nearly four decades after upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.
Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space, In public interactions following his return,
Shukla emerged as India’s second astronaut — and Shukla struck a notably understated tone. Ad-
the first to visit the International Space Station dressing an Indian Air Force event on August 24,
(ISS) — marking a decisive shift from symbolic he spoke candidly about his “shy” past and the
presence to sustained participation in global hu- long road from cockpit to cosmos. The remarks
man spaceflight. resonated widely, reinforcing the sense that his
An Indian Air Force pilot and a trained astro- achievement was built on discipline, persistence,
naut with the Indian Space Research Organization and quiet confidence rather than spectacle.
(ISRO), Shukla served as Mission Pilot on Axiom Later in the year, at SAITED 2025, Shukla de-
Mission 4 (Ax-4), a commercial yet deeply strate- livered an address that placed his personal journey
gic mission conducted in partnership with NASA, within a broader national narrative. He spoke of
Axiom Space, and SpaceX. The 18-day mission, India’s growing space ambitions, the importance
which concluded with his return to Earth on July of scientific self-reliance, and the responsibility
15, 2025, placed India squarely inside the most ad- that comes with being among the first. His message
vanced orbiting laboratory in human history. was forward-looking: the ISS mission, he empha-
Shukla’s journey to the ISS was the culmina- sized, was not an endpoint but a rehearsal for more
tion of years of preparation. In the months leading complex and demanding missions ahead.
up to the mission, he underwent intensive training The significance of Shubhanshu Shukla’s flight
in the United States, mastering spacecraft systems, extends far beyond its duration. As the first Indian
emergency protocols, and scientific operations in to visit the ISS, he bridged a historical gap between
microgravity. This phase of training, conducted in Shubhanshu Shukla being felicitated in Bengaluru (ANI) India’s early space achievements and its aspira-
collaboration with international partners, reflect- tions as a full-spectrum space power. The mission
ed a new model for India’s space ambitions — one examining cognitive performance in astronauts provided ISRO with invaluable operational expe-
rooted in cooperation, precision, and readiness for during extended exposure to microgravity. Each rience in human spaceflight, international coordi-
long-duration human missions. experiment was designed not only to advance sci- nation, and long-duration mission planning — all
The launch itself was watched closely back entific knowledge but also to inform India’s own critical inputs for Gaganyaan.
home. As the Dragon spacecraft docked with human spaceflight program. Equally important is what Shukla represents.
the ISS two days later, on June 27, India crossed Beyond the lab work, Shukla became a visi- Unlike India’s first spaceflight in 1984, which was
a milestone that had long remained aspirational. ble and relatable face of Indian science in orbit. largely symbolic, his mission was embedded in a
For the first time, an Indian astronaut was work- Through ham radio interactions, he spoke with larger strategic framework. It demonstrated that
ing aboard the ISS, contributing directly to cut- students across India, answering questions, sharing Indian astronauts are not just passengers in space,
ting-edge scientific research rather than observing observations, and demystifying life aboard the ISS. but contributors to global science and exploration.
from the sidelines. These interactions were widely seen as one of the In that sense, Shubhanshu Shukla’s place in
During his stay aboard the station, Shukla was mission’s most powerful soft outcomes — inspiring history is secure. As India’s second astronaut, he
involved in a series of carefully selected micro- a generation of students to see space not as a dis- has helped redefine what it means for the coun-
gravity experiments with direct relevance to life on tant dream, but as an attainable frontier. try to be present in space — not as a guest, but
Earth and future space missions. These included The mission concluded successfully on July as a participant with long-term intent. His quiet,
studies on muscle regeneration and degradation in 15, when Shukla and his crewmates returned safe- methodical journey to the ISS may well be remem-
zero gravity, research into crop viability and seed ly to Earth. The technical success of the mission bered as the moment India truly prepared itself for
behavior in space-like conditions, and experiments was matched by its symbolic resonance. In August a sustained human presence beyond Earth.

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