Four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma etched his name in history as the first Indian to journey into space, the nation witnessed another proud moment as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla lifted off into space as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Shukla has become the first Indian astronaut headed to space for the ISS and only the second Indian ever to venture beyond Earth.
Sharma extended his best wishes to Shukla and the entire crew of Axiom-4 in a video message.
“Wishing you all the best. To the crew: Godspeed! Spend as much time as you can looking out of the window. Have a fun time, guys,” Sharma said.
Sharma’s words carried special significance, not just for the crew but also for the nation that still remembers his famous reply to then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when she asked how India looked from space.
Quoting poet Allama Iqbal, Sharma had replied: “Saare Jahan Se Accha” (Better than the whole world).
The Indian Air Force, under whose banner both Sharma and Shukla served, also commemorated the occasion with a message steeped in pride and symbolism.
“From conquering the skies to touching the stars — a journey powered by the indomitable spirit of the IAF Air Warrior. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla sets forth on a landmark Space Mission, carrying the pride of the nation beyond Earth. This is a déjà-vu moment for India, 41 years after the mission of Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma, who first carried our Tricolour beyond Earth. Being more than a mission — it is reaffirmation of India’s ever-expanding horizon,” the IAF said on X.
