Lucknow witnessed a historic homecoming on Monday as astronaut and Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to his hometown following his trailblazing Axiom-4 space mission. He spoke to students at his alma mater, City Montessori School (CMS), inspiring them with visions of India’s space future.
“The entire landscape is changing, and I think the future is extremely bright,” Shukla said, stressing that perseverance has defined his success.
Although he returned to India from the US on August 17, Shukla visited Lucknow for the first time after participating in outreach events, including a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on August 18.
Speaking to the young audience, Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station, shared insights into space exploration. “In my experience that I have had in the last five years of training and last one year of flying to the International Space Station and coming back -- looking at how this entire landscape is changing, I think the future is extremely bright," he said.
Dressed in a black T-shirt and trousers with a brown jacket bearing the Indian Air Force insignia, tricolour, and ISRO emblem, Shukla highlighted the growing opportunities in India’s space sector. “We are at the right time, right opportunities exist now,” he said.
The astronaut recalled how, even in orbit, children asked not about his duties but how he became an astronaut. “I think that speaks volumes about where your mind is going. Please aspire! We have a great vision and ambition to land on the Moon by 2040. And it would be probably one of you who would be setting foot there,” he told students.
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He injected humour into his message, saying, “I am going to be in competition! So work hard and we will compete together and let's see who goes to the Moon in 2040,” prompting laughter and cheers from the audience.
Shukla described the period as a “golden time” for space missions and praised the energy and capabilities of the younger generation. “The future looks so promising to me. The energy that I had when I came back to India is growing every day, looking at the enthusiasm that everybody has. I am pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm displayed by everybody here,” he said.
He lauded the students’ performances, adding, “I was not even halfway there, not as talented as you all are. And if I could reach where I have reached with being what I was, I can only imagine what you kids will be when you grow up.”
Highlighting perseverance as key to success, Shukla also encouraged the spirit of resilience, joking about CMS manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon’s efforts to ensure his visit. “After my initial interaction with the Defence Minister in Delhi, he told me, 'sir, please aap Lucknow chale jaaiye, Geeta ma'am ne pareshan kar rakha hai'," he said.
Shukla, joined on stage by his parents Shambhu and Asha Shukla, received an emotional welcome from thousands of students, a reception he described as warmer than that in Delhi. “I did get a welcome in Delhi but it was nothing like this. Thank you for the warm welcome. I am so happy to be back home,” he said.
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