President Murmu Congratulates Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Historic ISS Mission Ahead of National Space Day
New Delhi, Aug 22 – President Droupadi Murmu on Friday interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), and lauded his role in marking a historic milestone for the nation’s space journey.
The meeting was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where Shukla briefed the President about his successful mission and shared his experiences in space. He was joined by Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Punyashlok Biswal, ISRO Chairman and Department of Space Secretary Dr. V. Narayanan, and Human Space Flight Centre Director Dinesh Kumar Singh.
President Murmu extended her best wishes to Shukla and the Indian space team for upcoming projects, particularly Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight programme. The interaction came on the eve of the second National Space Day, which will be observed on Saturday.
Shubhanshu Shukla’s Interaction with PM Modi
Earlier, on August 19, Shukla met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared details of the scientific experiments he conducted in space. These included studies on tardigrades, myogenesis, cyanobacteria, microalgae, and the sprouting of methi and moong seeds.
During the discussion, PM Modi asked about Shukla’s return to Earth. Describing the challenges of re-adaptation, Shukla said:
“The brain takes time to understand that we have to walk. It does take a while to adapt back to this environment. When I came back, I was not able to walk, and people had to hold me up.”
He added that he faced similar difficulties while adjusting to microgravity after first reaching the ISS.
India’s Rising Global Space Profile
Reflecting on his international experience, Shukla said, “From my personal experience over the past year, wherever I went, whomever I met, everyone was very happy to meet me, excited to talk and eager to ask what we are doing and how we are doing it.”
He also revealed that his international crewmates are “eagerly waiting for India’s Gaganyaan mission.”
National Space Day: From the Moon to Human Spaceflight
India will celebrate its second National Space Day on Saturday, commemorating the nation’s achievements from satellite launches to human spaceflight.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted India’s lunar success, recalling that on August 23, 2023, under PM Modi’s leadership, the country became the fourth nation to land on the Moon and the first to land at its South Pole—a moment that continues to inspire India’s space ambitions.
With Shukla’s ISS mission and preparations for Gaganyaan, India is steadily cementing its place among the world’s leading spacefaring nations.