Gajar ka halwa, moong dal halwa, aam ras go to Space: Shubhanshu Shukla tells PM Modi desi treats loved by ISS crew

Mint

18 hours ago

Axiom Mission-4 Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to reach space and the first to reach the International Space Station (ISS), spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sharing a glimpse of Indian culture and his awe-inspiring experience in space. During the interaction, Shukla revealed he brought traditional Indian treats—gajar ka halwa, moong dal ka halwa and aam ras—for himself and fellow astronauts, who all enjoyed the rich flavours.
'Yes, I brought gajar ka halwa, moong dal ka halwa and aam ras. I wanted everyone who has joined me from other countries to enjoy the rich Indian culinary. All of us had it together and everyone liked it,' said Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to PM Modi.
Reflecting on his first view of India from orbit, Shubhanshu Shukla described the country as 'very big and grand.'
He explained, 'Jab pehli baar Bharat ko dekha, Bharat sach mein bohat bhavya dikta hain, jitna ham map pe dekhten hain, usse kahin jyada bada (When we saw India for the first time, we saw that India looks very grand, very big, much bigger than what we see on the map).'
Shubhanshu Shukla's statements seemed to echo a similar statement made by Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to reach Space. Rakesh Shamra when talking to India's then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has replied "Sarein Jahan se achcha, Hindustan Humara', when the latter asked him how India looked like from up above.
Shubhanshu Shukla also shared the unique experience of witnessing 16 sunrises and sunsets a day while orbiting, adding, 'Our nation is moving forward at a very great pace.'
From the International Space Station (ISS), Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla observed the Earth as a borderless entity. 'The first view was of the Earth and after seeing the Earth from outside, the first thought and the first thing that came to mind was that the Earth looks completely one, no border is visible from outside. When we see the Earth from outside, it seems that no border exists, no state exists, no countries exist. We all are part of humanity, and the Earth is our one home, and all of us are in it,' he said.
As the second Indian to reach space, Shubhanshu Shukla expressed immense pride in the country's achievement. 'I am feeling very emotional and happy after having a conversation with you and 140 crore Indians. I feel very proud as India has reached the International Space Station...This is a collective achievement of the whole nation,' he said.
Shubhanshu Shukla urged young people to persevere and dream big. 'The message I would like to give our young generation is that India has seen very bold and high dreams and to fulfil those dreams, we need all of you. There is no single way to success, but one thing that is common in every path is that you should never stop trying. If you adopt this basic mantra, then success may come today or tomorrow, but it will definitely come.'
He added, 'I want to send a message to the younger generation that if you work hard, the future of the nation will be good. The sky is never the limit.'
With India's first human space mission, Gaganyaan, entering its final phase, Shubhanshu Shukla is absorbing every lesson. 'I am confident that these lessons will be highly valuable for us and that we will apply them effectively in the coming missions,' he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the growing enthusiasm among India's youth for science and space exploration. 'There is a new enthusiasm to explore space... Today, children not only look at the sky, but they think they can reach it. This spirit is the base of our future space missions... We have to take Mission Gaganyaan forward, we have to make our own space station, and we have to ensure that an Indian astronaut lands on the Moon,' he said.
Shubhanshu Shukla revealed that Indian scientists have prepared seven unique experiments for the mission. 'I can say with great pride that for the first time Indian scientists have prepared seven unique experiments which I have brought here to the station. The first experiment, which is scheduled today, is on stem cells...My experiment focuses on how we can prevent or delay muscle loss in space by taking a specific supplement. We will also see if these supplements can be beneficial for older people on Earth as well,' he explained.