Waiting for this day for a long time...to meet, hug him: Family thrilled as Grp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla's homecoming nears

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 16 (ANI): The homecoming of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla after the Axiom-4 mission has turned into a proud occasion for his family in Lucknow, who said they had been waiting for this day with great anticipation and were now preparing to travel to Delhi to welcome him.
Shukla's sister, Shuchi Mishra, said the family had been eagerly waiting to see him. "We've been waiting for this day for a long time, and now that he is returning, we are very excited. We are just waiting to meet him and hug him and congratulate him for doing such a great job for the country," she told ANI.
His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, expressed his happiness and said the entire family was getting ready for his arrival.

"Our son is returning, and we are very happy. We are going to Delhi to meet him.... Now he is returning, so it is a matter of happiness for the whole country and for us.... The prime minister and all the dignitaries blessed him. I thank all of them because, because of their prayers and blessings, his mission was successful," he said.
Meanwhile, as India celebrated its 79th Independence Day, the nation also witnessed historic achievements in the space sector. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who recently returned from the International Space Station (ISS), will arrive in India in the coming days.
In a post on X, PIB wrote, "The achievements of the space sector is being witnessed by every citizen. Our Group Captain ShubhanshuShukla has returned from the International Space Station, and in the coming few days, he is coming to India."

The achievements of the space sector is being witnessed by every citizen. Our Group Captain #ShubhanshuShukla has returned from the International Space Station, and in the coming few days, he is coming to #India

In space exploration, we are preparing for #Gaganyaan under the… pic.twitter.com/CcltIZA9pr

— PIB India (@PIB_India) August 15, 2025

"In space exploration, we are preparing for #Gaganyaan under the vision of AatmanirbharBharat. We are also working towards building our own SpaceStation. I am proud that more than 300 startups of the country are working just in the space sector, in which thousands of young people are contributing to startups with their full potential," the post added on X.
Group Captain Shukla landed safely back on Earth on July 15 after his journey to space. He was launched on June 25 as Mission Pilot of Axiom-4, becoming the first Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS.
During his stay at the ISS, he worked with fellow members of the Axiom-4 crew and Expedition 73. He carried out advanced experiments in microgravity, including studies on muscle regeneration, algal and microbial growth, crop viability, microbial survivability, cognitive performance in space, and the behaviour of cyanobacteria. These experiments are expected to advance global knowledge on human spaceflight and provide vital inputs for India's future missions.
This mission is seen as a landmark in India's space journey and a key step towards the country's human spaceflight programme, including Gaganyaan and the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Station.
India has already marked major milestones in space, including the historic landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the Moon's South Pole on August 23, 2023, which is now celebrated as National Space Day, and the launch of Aditya-L1 in 2023, which is enhancing scientific understanding of the Sun. (ANI)