It’s a proud moment for India as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from Lucknow has taken off for space on Axiom Mission 4 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He is on his way to becoming the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS) through a private space mission.
The launch was watched live by his family, friends, and former school — City Montessori School (CMS), where special arrangements were made to celebrate this historic event. As the countdown ended and the rocket lifted off, loud cheers of “Shubhanshu! Shubhanshu!” echoed through the auditorium. Children waved the tricolor, and many were visibly emotional.
A Family’s Proud Moment
Shubhanshu’s mother, Asha Shukla, was overwhelmed with emotion. With teary eyes, she said, “I never imagined my son would reach such great heights.” His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, proudly said, “Now I’m known as Shubhanshu’s father.” His sister, Nidhi Mishra, shared how proud the entire family and country are, calling it a deeply emotional moment.
When asked if she was worried about the risks of space travel, his mother calmly said, “There’s nothing to worry about. I trust my son completely. He doesn’t need advice — he’s the one giving advice to the world now!”
A Smooth Ride to Space
Within 10 minutes of launch, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully entered Earth’s orbit. Speaking from space, Shubhanshu said, “What an amazing ride! The tricolor on my shoulder reminds me that I’m not alone — I carry 1.4 billion Indians with me.”
He added, “We have returned to space after 41 years. We’re now orbiting the Earth at 7.5 kilometers per second.”
Nationwide Celebration
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shubhanshu on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Shubhanshu represents the hopes and dreams of 140 crore Indians. Wishing him and the entire Axiom Mission 4 team great success.”
A special resolution was also passed in the Union Cabinet meeting, appreciating the success of this international space mission, which includes astronauts from India, the USA, Hungary, and Poland.
Shubhanshu completed his early education at City Montessori School in Lucknow. His journey from the classrooms of CMS to the stars has become a source of pride not just for his family or city, but for the entire nation.
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