'Aaj ka Bharat space se nidar, garv se purn dikhta hai', says Shubhanshu Shukla in farewell speech from ISS

In a historic moment for Indian space ambitions, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is about to return to Earth on Tuesday at 3:01 pm IST off the California coast following the successful conclusion of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) private space mission.

Shukla’s return comes 41 years after Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space aboard a Soviet Soyuz capsule.

Addressing the world from aboard the orbiting laboratory on the eve of the crew’s departure, Shukla reflected on the country’s evolving space narrative. “41 years ago an Indian came to space and he told us how India looks from up above. Today’s India looks ambitious from space, today’s India looks fearless, today’s India looks confident, today’s India looks full of pride… today’s India still looks ‘saare jahan se acha’,” he said, referencing the iconic phrase first used in space by Sharma in 1984.

Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla:

🗣 "41 years ago, an Indian went to space and told us how India looks like from space.
...and I can again tell you that today's India still appears Saare Jahan Se Accha" 🇮🇳

Watch this clip from the Axiom-4 Farewell Ceremony on the ISS 🎥 pic.twitter.com/nQMyfBy0YR

— ISRO Spaceflight (@ISROSpaceflight) July 13, 2025

The Ax-4 crew — led by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson and including Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu — received a warm sendoff from the seven existing ISS residents.

Group Captain Shukla, who served as the mission pilot, conducted seven Indian-designed microgravity experiments on board. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that all experiments were completed as planned, describing the mission as a "significant leap" in the country’s space capabilities.

“This hands-on experience will contribute critical knowledge to support the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, the proposed Bhartiya Antariksha Station, and future planetary explorations,” ISRO said in a statement.

India’s science minister Jitendra Singh reaffirmed the mission’s importance, stating, "The entire nation eagerly awaits your arrival back home…as you begin your return journey, after successful undocking  of #Axiom4." 

According to the BBC, ISRO had invested Rs 500 crore ($59 million) to secure the seat and training for Shukla, who was one of four Indian Air Force officers shortlisted for the Gaganyaan program.

#WATCH | The Axiom-4 mission, featuring Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is set to undock from the International Space Station today, July 14th.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh says, "Today at around 4:30 PM, they will be undocked. The most important thing is that the experiments… pic.twitter.com/p9xZ8IgDSO

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2025

A journey years in the making

Born on Oct. 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Shukla joined the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in 2006. Over nearly two decades, he accumulated over 2,000 hours of flight time on aircraft including MiGs, Sukhois, and Jaguars. Describing his year of astronaut training and spaceflight preparation as "transformative," Shukla carried what he called “the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts” aboard the Ax-4 mission.

While aboard the ISS, the Ax-4 astronauts conducted more than 60 scientific investigations, ranging from biotechnology to in-orbit manufacturing. Shukla emphasized the collaborative nature of the work: “The one thing I take back is what humanity can achieve when we work with a common goal,” he said.

The Axiom-4 mission, a commercial flight operated by Houston-based Axiom Space in partnership with NASA, SpaceX, ESA, and ISRO, has not only showcased growing international cooperation in space but also opened new opportunities for emerging space nations like India.