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Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as the part of the Axiom 4 Mission. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Saturday posted a snapshot from their interaction on X, "PM @narendramodi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station."

PM Modi said "Today, you are away from our motherland, but you are the closest to the hearts of Indians...Aapke naam mein bhi shubh hai aur aapki yatra naye yug ka shubharambh bhi hai." India looks grand and bigger from space than it does on map, Shukla said during the video conference.

 

Reminiscence Of Indira Gandhi's Iconic Chat With Rakesh Sharma

The interaction between PM Modi and Shukla reminded the inconic Indira Gandhi-Rakesh Sharma moment which had captured by the global media in 1984. During the chapt, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi Sharma, "Upar se Bharat kaisa dikhta hai aapko (How does India look from space?)". Sharma famously replied, "Saare jahaan se achcha, Hindustan hamara (Out Hindustan is better than the world)." The historic conversation was the first joint television news conference with an Indian astronaut in space.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Creats History

People across the country on Wednesday extended thier the best wishes to group captain Shubhangshu Shukla for the success of his space mission. Shukla, a Lucknow native, created history by embarking on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a commercial mission operated by Axiom Space, along with three other astronauts. This marks the first space journey by an Indian astronaut in 41 years since Rakesh Sharma flew aboard a Russian spacecraft.

Shukla 634th Astronaut, Second Indian To Travel To Space

India's Shubhanshu Shukla became the 634th astronaut to travel to space as he entered the International Space Station on Thursday after a 28-hour journey. Shukla and three other astronauts were formally welcomed on the space station by the members of Expedition 73 with warm hugs and handshakes. Axiom mission commander Peggy Whitson handed out astronaut pins to Shukla, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungarian Tibor Kapu, who marked their maiden voyage to space.

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"I am astronaut 634. It is a privilege to be here," Shukla said in brief remarks at the formal welcome ceremony on the space station. "With your love and blessings, I have reached the International Space Station. It looks easy to stand here, but my head is a little heavy, facing some difficulty; but these are minor issues," he said.

"We will get used to it. This is the first step of this journey," he added. Shukla said over the next 14 days, he and the other astronauts will conduct scientific experiments and interact with people on Earth.

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"This is also a phase of India's space journey. I will keep talking to you. Let us make this journey exciting. I am carrying the tiranga and I am carrying all of you with me. The next 14 days will be exciting," he said. Shukla said the ride to the space station was wonderful and great and he was overwhelmed by the welcome he received from the crew of the orbital laboratory. "The minute I entered the International Space Station and met this crew, you just made me feel so welcome, as if you literally opened your doors, like your house doors, for us," he said.

"That is true. It was fantastic. I just feel even better now. Whatever expectations I had of coming here were surpassed by the view, of course, that is a big part of it, but also by you guys," Shukla said. "So thank you so much. I think this is fantastic, this is wonderful and I am very confident that the next 14 days are going to be amazing, advancing science and research, and working together," he added.  

(With PTI inputs)

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