Lucknow prepares grand welcome for local boy Shubhanshu Shukla

Lucknow (UP), Aug 24 (PTI) Preparations are underway to give a grand welcome to local boy Shubhanshu Shukla, who will reach here on Monday after his historic visit to the International Space Station (ISS).

Family members are most excited for the occasion. "We are obviously delighted that my son is coming to his home town, though I am still not sure if he would get time to visit his Triveni Nagar home. I hope he does, if events and security protocols allow," the astronaut's father, Shambhu, told PTI.

Most of Shubhanshu's extended family members have also arrived to meet their relative, who is now a celebrity astronaut.

Though Shubhanshu returned to India from the US on August 17, he is only now visiting Lucknow after participating in multiple outreach events, including meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 18.

While revealing that most of Shubhanshu's favourite dishes would be prepared, Shambhu, however, appeared a bit worried about the health of the astronaut's mother.

"She is a bit indisposed," he said while confirming that the astronaut's wife, Kamna and son, Kiash, would be coming, too.

Shubhanshu would be in Lucknow, possibly for three days, though his family indicated that his exact itinerary hasn't been officially released.

The City Montessori School (CMS), Lucknow, his alma mater, has organised a "grand victory parade" to honour the achievement.

The celebrations will begin with a grand welcome by CMS students at the Lucknow airport at 8:45 AM. Following this, Shukla will be part of a car parade starting from the airport at 9:00 AM, which will proceed through the Gomti Nagar Vistar Campus to the G-20 Chowk.

School spokesperson Rishi Khanna said that over 63,000 CMS students are ready to welcome their senior.

"A special march will be held to salute Shukla before a grand felicitation ceremony at the CMS Gomti Nagar Extension Campus Auditorium at 10:00 AM." A press conference featuring Shubhanshu is scheduled to be held at the same venue at 12 PM, said Khanna. Further, posters welcoming him are being put up across the state capital.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly in the previous session congratulated Shukla for his historic journey to the International Space Station.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) state general secretary Ankur Saxena has written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath demanding that the Indira Gandhi Planetarium and the Regional Science City in Lucknow be renamed after IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.

Group Captain Shukla was part of the Axiom-4 mission, which lifted off from Florida on June 25. He became the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and the second Indian to journey into space after Rakesh Sharma. During his 18-day mission, he conducted over 60 experiments and participated in 20 outreach sessions. PTI MAN CDN SHS AMJ AMJ AMJ