People talking of ISRO over NASA is a reality waiting to happen: Shubhanshu Shukla

Lucknow, Aug 25 (PTI) IAF Group Captain and astronaut Sudhanshu Shukla on Monday said it is only a matter of time before the world talks about ISRO over NASA, as India continues to advance rapidly in space exploration.

"Since returning to India, I have felt an incredible excitement among people about our space achievements.

The National Space Day (August 23) has only been celebrated for two years, yet the energy around it was tremendous.

“As the deputy chief minister (Keshav Prasad Maurya) said, the day is not far when people will speak of ISRO over NASA. I believe this is not a dream, but a reality waiting to happen," Shukla said at a civic reception in Lucknow, his hometown, celebrating his visit to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a successful Axiom-4 mission.

Shukla, who was visibly moved by the warm welcome, added with a smile, "Since I landed in Lucknow around 7:30 this morning, I must have clicked about 2,000 selfies. The famous saying, 'Muskuraiye, Aap Lucknow Mein Hain' (Smile, you're in Lucknow) truly came alive for me today.” The felicitation ceremony at the official residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, state BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary, and Shukla's family members, including his wife Kamna, mother Asha, and father Shambhu Shukla.

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan was also present.

Reflecting on his journey, Shukla said the excitement he witnessed in Delhi upon his arrival in India was "doubled" when he reached his hometown Lucknow.

"Coming home to such a heartfelt welcome was overwhelming. I am deeply grateful for the love and pride the people have shown towards me," he said.

Shukla's 18-day mission involved a stay on board the ISS before landing in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.

He said his team conducted 60 scientific experiments in space, seven of which were designed by Indian scientists.

"The proudest moment was performing experiments created by our scientists. For the first time, they got the opportunity to conduct microgravity research. The real achievement is not just the data but the doors this mission has opened for future Indian research in space," he said.

Shukla also said that during his mission, he interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and spoke with children on three occasions.

"Each time, they (the children) asked how they could become astronauts. One of the biggest achievements of this mission is that the younger generation now not only aspires to go to space, but believes that they can do it,” he said. PTI KIS ARI