Pride Soars as India's Shubhanshu Shukla Embarks on Historic Axiom-4 Mission

The successful launch of the Axiom-4 mission from NASA's Kennedy Space Center has ignited a wave of pride among the family of Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla, the esteemed Indian astronaut piloting the mission. From their home in Lucknow, Shukla's family watched the monumental lift-off with pride and tears of joy, underscoring the emotional stakes of this significant journey.

In an interview with ANI, Shuchi Mishra, Shukla's sister, emphasized their hopes for his safe return, remarking, "We hope everything will go well. We are relaxed and waiting for him to return home safely after 15 days. Our hopes are rising now, we want him to do more missions and make us proud." Her sentiments were echoed by another sister, Nidhi Mishra, who expressed confidence in the mission's success.

Meanwhile, mother Asha Shukla was visibly moved during the launch, calling the collective emotions "tears of joy," while father Shambhu Dayal Shukla acknowledged the significance of the moment as a blessing. In his remarks aboard the Dragon spacecraft, Shubanshu Shukla conveyed the mission's importance, inviting Indians to feel pride as he carries the national flag into orbit and urging unity in advancing India's Human Space Programme.

(With inputs from agencies.)