“Namaskar from Space”: Shubhanshu Shukla’s First Steps Aboard the ISS

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has officially become the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS), marking a historic moment for India’s space journey. After a 28-hour orbital ride aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, Shukla and three fellow astronauts docked with the ISS on June 26, where they were welcomed with hugs and handshakes by the Expedition 73 crew.

 

Key highlights:

 

- Shukla is the 634th person to travel to space and the first Indian to reach the ISS.

- He will spend 14 days conducting 30 scientific experiments, including seven led by Indian institutions.

- His first message from orbit: “Learning like a baby—how to walk, how to eat.”

- He carried traditional Indian dishes like moong dal halwa and mango nectar, specially prepared by ISRO’s bio-defence lab.

- During the welcome ceremony, veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson pinned the official astronaut badge on Shukla’s suit.

 

Shukla described the experience as “a wonderful ride,” adding that the view of Earth from space had exceeded all expectations. He also shared that adjusting to microgravity felt like learning everything anew—“like a baby taking first steps.”

 

The mission is part of Axiom-4, a private spaceflight initiative that includes astronauts from Poland and Hungary. For India, this moment is more than symbolic—it’s a leap forward in human spaceflight experience ahead of the Gaganyaan mission.

“I carry the tiranga, and I carry all of you with me,” Shukla said, signing off with a heartfelt “Jai Hind.”

 

Sources: The Hindu, Firstpost, Financial Express