Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla set to meet PM Modi as he returns to India from space mission

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s second astronaut to venture into space and the first to board the International Space Station, returned to India on Aug 17 after completing the 18-day Axiom-4 mission. His historic homecoming drew praise for marking India’s strong reemergence in human space exploration.

At the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi, Shukla received a warm welcome from Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and ISRO Chairman V Narayanan. His arrival was celebrated as a shining moment for India’s space program.

Reflecting on his return, Shukla shared a heartfelt message on social media: he felt “a mix of emotions,” including the sadness of leaving his space team and excitement about seeing friends, family, and the nation again.

He quoted his commander’s words—“the only constant in spaceflight is change” and ended with a nostalgic reference to the song lyric, “Yun hi chala chal rahi — jeevan gaadi hai samay pahiya," from the movie Swades.

India’s Space Minister Jitendra Singh described Shukla’s return as both “a moment of pride for the world” and “a moment of glory for India,” affirming that the country has secured a permanent place in the global space community.

Shukla’s mission is widely viewed as a stepping stone toward India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, planned for 2027.

Over his mission, Shukla conducted seven key experiments designed by ISRO aboard the ISS. Remarkably, ISRO covered all expenses—estimated around ₹548 crore for his participation, and Shukla did not receive any salary from ISRO, NASA, or

Looking ahead, Shukla is poised to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the near future. He is also expected to participate in National Space Day celebrations later this month and visit his family in Lucknow.