As Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla gears up to return to Earth after his historic journey aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, his family in Lucknow is eagerly waiting to welcome him with open arms, prayers, and heartfelt emotions.
“If We Had Our Way, We’d Rush to Meet Him”: Mother Asha Shukla
Speaking with ANI, Shubhanshu Shukla’s mother, Asha Shukla, shared her emotional anticipation and the family’s spiritual preparations.
“If we had our way, we would rush to meet him there. But that is not possible,” she said.
She added that the family has been praying fervently for his safe return: “There is so much excitement… Today is a special day for Lord Shiv. We woke up early in the morning and went to the temple. We performed the Abhishek of Lord Shiv. We prayed to God that our child should come back safely and no harm should come to him after landing on earth.”
“We Will Celebrate a Lot When He Comes Back”: Sister Shuchi Mishra
Group Captain Shukla’s sister, Shuchi Mishra, echoed similar sentiments and reflected on the emotions surrounding both his launch and upcoming return.
“Today again we are feeling the same emotions that we had on the day he went for the mission. We will celebrate a lot when he comes back.”
She added, “Every day, we prayed and thanked God. When we talked to him, he seemed very happy… Being a pilot and now an astronaut, he might have seen the different beauty of our nation, and there is no doubt that ‘Saare Jahan se acha Hindustan humara’.”
Shukla Quotes Rakesh Sharma in Emotional Address
A farewell ceremony was held on Sunday aboard the International Space Station for the Ax-4 crew. During his address, Group Captain Shukla moved listeners with his powerful message, quoting legendary cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma: “Aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai.”
He elaborated further on India’s space ambitions: “Aaj ka Bharat space se mahatvakaanshi dikhta hai, aaj ka bharat space se nidar dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat confident dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat garv se poorn dikhta hai aur inhi sab kaarano ki vajah se aaj mai fir se keh sakta hoon ki aaj ka bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai.”
Undocking and Splashdown Timeline
The Ax-4 crew is scheduled to undock from the ISS on July 14 at around 4:35 PM IST, with splashdown expected in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at approximately 3 PM IST on Tuesday, July 15.
A Mission of Science and Global Collaboration
The Ax-4 team includes Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (representing ISRO), ESA astronaut Slawosz “Suave” Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu. During their stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, the crew carried out a series of scientific experiments and outreach activities, contributing to international research and space exploration.
