Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the second Indian to fly to space after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma flew aboard the Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984
Indian astronaut and IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla today (June 25) flew off to a landmark journey to the International Space Station with the Axiom-4 Mission crew.
Group Captain Shukla becomes the second Indian to fly to space after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard the Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984, as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme, thus ending a 41-year wait.
WHO IS SHUBHANSHU SHUKLA?
Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer and astronaut, who made history as the first Indian to fly off to the International Space Station (ISS).
EARLY LIFE & EDUCATION
Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, he was inspired by the 1999 Kargil War to pursue a career in the armed forces.
He completed his schooling at City Montessori School in Lucknow and later graduated from the National Defence Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
INDUCTION INTO IAF
Commissioned into the IAF in 2006, Group Captain Shukla has amassed over 2,000 hours of flying experience on various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, and MiG-29.
SELECTION FOR AXIOM-4 MISSION
In 2019, Shukla was selected as one of the four astronauts for India’s Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first human spaceflight program. He underwent rigorous training in Russia and at the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) facilities. Further enhancing his expertise, he earned a Master of Technology in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
Shukla is serving as the mission pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a collaborative mission between ISRO, NASA, and Axiom Space, that flew off for the International Space Station (ISS) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This mission marks India’s return to human spaceflight after more than four decades, 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma flew into space aboard the Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme.
PERSONAL LIFE
Shukla is married to Dr. Kamna Mishra, a dentist. The couple have known each other since school days having studied together since Class 3.
The couple has a 6-year-old son.
SHUBHANSHU SHUKLA’S MESSAGE TO WIFE, FAMILY & FRIENDS
“As we plan to leave the planet early morning of 25 Jun, I wish to thank everyone who has been involved in this mission for their support and also to all the people back home for their blessings and love.
A big thank you to family and friends who have been my bedrock in this journey. Sometimes your close ones make sacrifices that you do not even fully understand but they do so out of their love for you.
Special thanks to @kamnashubha for being the wonderful partner that you are. Without you none of this was possible but more importantly none of this would matter..,” he wrote on Instagram.
ROLE MODEL FOR OTHERS
Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey from a young boy in Lucknow to an astronaut exemplifies dedication and serves as an inspiration to many others.
