Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday honoured the four astronaut-designates of India’s maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, at a grand felicitation ceremony in Delhi.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Group Captain P V Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, and Group Captain Angad Pratap—collectively known as the Gaganyatris—were praised for their exemplary spirit and endurance during intensive training. “The temperament shown by all of you during the training was not only impressive but excellent. All of India is proud of you,” Singh said while congratulating them.
Reflecting on India’s expanding space journey, the Defence Minister said the Gaganyaan mission represents more than technological prowess—it embodies a self-reliant India emerging as a global space power. “From the Moon to Mars, India has already marked its presence. Now, with Gaganyaan, we are writing a new chapter of national pride,” he said.
He further emphasised that India’s space programme is tied to broader goals of economy, security, and future global leadership. “We do not see space merely as a field of research but as the economy, security, energy, and future of humanity,” he remarked, predicting that ventures such as space mining and deep-space exploration would reshape civilisation.
Singh also recalled a personal link, noting that Shubhanshu Shukla hails from his Lucknow constituency. “Forty years ago, when Rakesh Sharma went to space, Shubhanshu was born soon after. His childhood dream of seeing Earth from space is now India’s reality,” he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had first announced the Gaganyaan Programme on August 15, 2018, marking India’s ambition to send astronauts into space on an indigenous mission.