‘Sky is never the limit, not for me, you, or India': Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla tells PM Modi
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and said, 'Sky is never the limit, neither for you, nor me, nor for India.' During the exchange, PM Modi told Shukla: "Your historic journey will further strengthen students' resolve to explore space."
During their interaction, Shukla said, 'If you try and build your future properly, then the nation's future will also be good. And keep this one thing in your heart: 'Sky is never the limit', neither for you, nor me, nor for India.'
Shukla made history on Wednesday as he embarked on a journey to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 commercial space mission operated by Axiom Space. The spacecraft, carrying Shukla and three other astronauts, docked with the ISS on June 26. His mission marks a major milestone, being the first Indian to travel to space in 41 years since Rakesh Sharma's 1984 spaceflight. Shukla, serving as Mission Pilot, becomes the second Indian ever to travel to space.
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed the interaction via a post on X: "PM Narendra Modi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station."
During the exchange, PM Modi told Shukla: "Your historic journey will further strengthen students' resolve to explore space."
Expressing deep pride, Shukla said: "Not my journey alone but also our country's, feel proud to represent India." He also shared his perspective from space: "India looks grand and bigger from space than it does on map."
Earlier, following the successful launch of the Axiom-4 mission, Prime Minister Modi had written on X, 'We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is on the way to become the first Indian to go to International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success!' 'Floating in the vacuum, and it's magical'
Shukla shared his excitement about the journey to space, describing it as an unforgettable experience.
"I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts – what a ride it was. Honestly, as I sat in the capsule 'Grace' on the launchpad yesterday after 30 days of quarantine, all I could think was: just go. When the launch finally happened, it was something else entirely. You're pushed back into the seat--and then suddenly, there's silence. You're just floating in the vacuum, and it's magical," he said.
Expressing gratitude to the mission team, Shukla called the experience a shared success.
"I truly appreciate the efforts of every individual who made this journey possible. It's not just a personal accomplishment – it belongs to all of us," he added.
The Axiom-4 mission, aboard the Dragon spacecraft, successfully docked with the ISS on Thursday, earlier than scheduled. The autonomous docking occurred at 4:05 pm IST at the space-facing port of the Harmony module.
Upon arrival, the Ax-4 crew—comprising former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, and ESA astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary—was welcomed by the Expedition 73 crew and participated in a safety briefing.
Shukla expressed his sense of pride after entering the ISS, becoming the 634th human in space and the first Indian to board the ISS.
"I am no 634, that's a privilege," Shukla said after receiving his official astronaut pin from Mission Commander Peggy Whitson.
He added, "To be fair, it is a privilege to be amongst the few who have got the chance to see the Earth from a vantage point that I have been able to see now. It has been a wonderful ride. I was looking forward to coming to space--it is something to look forward. But the moment I entered the ISS, I felt welcomed. You (Expedition 73 crew) guys literally opened up your doors like your house doors for us, that was fantastic. The expectations I had were surpassed, so thank you so much; this was fantastic. I am confident the next 14 days are going to be amazing doing science and research."
In a heartfelt message to the nation, he said, "I have a small message for my countrymen: It is because of your love and blessings that I have safely reached the International Space Station. It may look easy to stand here, but it is not; my head is aching. However, we will get used to it. We will be here for 14 days, conducting scientific experiments and speaking with you. This is a milestone for India. Let's make this journey exciting and let everyone participate with interest."
He added, "The Tricolour I bear on my shoulder makes me feel as though the entire country is with me. I believe the next 14 days are going to be truly interesting."
Over the next two weeks, the Ax-4 crew will carry out a series of scientific, outreach, and commercial activities aboard the orbiting lab. Shukla will be conducting several experiments as part of his mission onboard the ISS.
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