Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who recently returned from NASA’s Axiom-4 mission, described India as “one of the most beautiful sights on Earth when seen from space,” recalling his time aboard the International Space Station. Shukla became the second Indian to travel to space and was felicitated on Saturday in New Delhi in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Sharing his experience, Shukla said he had recorded a special clip of India from orbit. “India does look really beautiful. The unique positioning and shape, especially at night when you pass over from the Indian Ocean south to north, is one of the most breathtaking sights you can ever witness,” he said.
During his presentation, the IAF officer displayed visuals of Earth glowing with oxygen light, pointing out Bengaluru and Hyderabad from space. He added that astronauts aboard the station saw 16 sunrises a day, a spectacle that never grew old.
Expressing gratitude to the Indian Air Force, Shukla credited his journey and achievements to the training and discipline of service life. “When I joined the Air Force, I was shy and doubtful. The Air Force transformed me completely. Cockpit has been my greatest teacher, and I owe everything to this uniform,” he said.
He also recalled his lighthearted first interaction with mission commander Peggy Whitson, the most experienced astronaut in history. “I told her, ‘Do you know the difference between God and a pilot? God doesn’t think he’s a pilot,’” Shukla joked.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with CDS General Anil Chauhan and IAF Chief Air Marshal AP Singh, felicitated Shukla and his fellow Gaganyatris—Group Captains P V Nair, Ajit Krishnan, and Angad Pratap. Singh hailed them as “the pride of India,” praising their exemplary temperament and resilience during rigorous space training.
Shukla returned to Earth on July 15 after completing the Axiom-4 mission and landed in Delhi on August 17.