NEW DELHI, AUG 18 : A momentous meeting took place in the capital today as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India\u2019s pioneering astronaut and Indian Air Force test pilot, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a gesture laden with patriotic pride, Shukla presented the prime minister with the Indian national flag he personally carried to the International Space Station during his historic Ax-4 mission, symbolising the nation\u2019s leap into a new era of human spaceflight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the meeting, Shukla conveyed the exhilaration and challenges of his groundbreaking journey, which saw an Indian astronaut actively participate in long-duration space operations aboard the ISS as part of an international crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scientific experiments executed on board, ranging from studies on human physiology in microgravity to new technologies for space agriculture have direct implications for India\u2019s own Gaganyaan human spaceflight ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prime Minister Modi, deeply moved by the symbolic gift, lauded Shukla not just for his technical achievements, but for inspiring a generation to dream beyond Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parliament on Monday paid glowing tribute to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for his historic Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Jitendra Singh, led the commemoration by lauding Shukla\u2019s achievements and their significance for India\u2019s aspirations in space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the Opposition did not paerticipate in the special discussion, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised the Indian fighter pilot’s space mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tharoor in a post on X said, \u201cSince the Opposition are not participating in the special discussion, let me say how proud all Indians are of the recent mission of Commander Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS).\u201d Tharoor emphasised that Shukla\u2019s pioneering mission represents a crucial milestone for India\u2019s budding human spaceflight ambitions, serving as a direct stepping stone for the nation\u2019s highly anticipated Gaganyaan program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shukla\u2019s Ax-4 mission, conducted in collaboration with international partners, provided invaluable experience and advanced India\u2019s ambitions for its own human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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