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Time of India
26-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Son docks amid stars, parents over the moon
1 2 Lucknow: It is the biggest moment of our lives, said an emotional Shambhu Dayal Shukla, father of Shubhanshu Shukla , who along with three fellow astronauts reached the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Space-X Dragon spacecraft on Thursday. Recalling how before leaving Shubhanshu had told the family, "Mission pe jaa raha hoon, poora karke milta hoon sabse (I'm going for the mission, will meet everyone once it's complete)," the proud father revealed how the 39-year-old astronaut's single-minded dedication since 2006 helped him achieve the milestone. "Even during family celebrations, he never broke his strict diet. That discipline is what has taken him this far," he added After the Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), an overwhelming wave of pride and emotion swept through Lucknow. At City Montessori School (CMS), where Shubhanshu studied till Class 12, the moment was celebrated with chants of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', 'India-India', and 'Hip Hip Hurray'. Teachers, friends, alumni, and hundreds of students rose to their feet in a spontaneous standing ovation, waving the national flag as tears and cheers filled the air. "As a father, there are no words that can fully express what I felt when the spacecraft docked. My hands were folded in prayer, and my eyes were full of tears. That moment, it was not just a scientific milestone, it was our son fulfilling a dream he had chased with unshakable determination since his selection. He is our son, but today, he is the pride of every Indian," said Shambhu Dayal Shukla. "Shubhanshu is a true devotee of Lord Hanuman and other gods. Now, we are just praying that he completes his mission safely and returns home soon," said mother, Asha Shukla. "Watching him go from reading science books as a child to actually floating in space is beyond words. Our whole family is bursting with pride. His journey is proof that hard work, discipline, and belief can take you all the way to the stars," said, sister, Suchi Shukla. CMS manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon said, "We are delighted like all Indians, more so as he is an alumnus who has made all of us so proud."
The Print
26-06-2025
- Science
- The Print
India rejoice again as Shubhanshu Shukla, 3 other astronauts reach International Space Station
After joining for Wednesday's successful liftoff from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, marking India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years, Shukla's parents and relatives, teachers, friends, scores of students, and astounded onlookers greeted the successful docking with a standing ovation and let out a collective roar at Lucknow's City Montessori School here. 'Bharat Mata ki jai', 'India-India' and 'Hip Hip Hurray' chants intermingled with resounding applause after the Dragon spacecraft docked to the orbital laboratory after a 28-hour journey around the earth. Lucknow, Jun 26 (PTI) India rejoiced again as the Space-X spacecraft with Lucknow-born astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on board landed at the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. Shubhanshu's family were also seen joyously holding the tricolour as the Dragon spacecraft completed the docking sequence with ISS. 'He has reached the ISS; we are over the moon,' Shubhanshu's sister Suchi Misra told PTI, admitting that it was a moment when the astronaut's family, like the rest of India, felt overwhelmed. Like Wednesday, Shubhanshu's parents – Shambhu and Asha Shukla – were there to witness the momentous occasion at the World Unity Convention Centre (WUCC) of CMS, where Sudhanshu studied till class 12. 'He is our son, but now he is more than that. For he is carrying with him to space not just our blessings but the dreams and prayers of a billion Indians, all of whom are rejoicing not just for my son but also because the moment heralds India's triumph in space,' Shubhanshu's father told PTI. Since Wednesday's lift-off, the Shukla household had been praying. 'Of course, we have deep belief in the almighty whose blessings help in achieving big missions. Shubhanshu is a deep believer in Lord Hanuman and all other gods, and now we are praying for his safe return after successful completion of the mission,' he added. CMS manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon told PTI that there was more to the moment than just celebrations. 'Of course we are delighted, like all Indians, more so as he is an alumnus who has made all of us so proud. But, at this moment as he enters the ISS, Shubhanshu also symbolises India's growing muscle in space,' she added. 'I hope his journey inspires the rise of many more Shubhanshus across the country. It's a moment of immense pride for every Indian,' Suchi had said during Wednesday's liftoff. And on Thursday, Sudhanshu Gaur, sports teacher at the CMS Aliganj branch where Shubhanshu studied, admitted to growing enthusiasm among students to become astronauts. 'I am witnessing a newfound enthusiasm among students to become astronauts. We had a fancy dress competition in school sometime back, and the majority of students turned up as astronauts. This is just amazing,' Gaur told PTI. 'As the docking happened and everyone went up I had tears in my eyes,' said Rishi Khanna, head of communications at CMS. PTI MAN CDN ZMN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
A boy once nervous about his maths score is now on star trek; My heart raced during countdown, says Shubhanshu Shukla's mother
LUCKNOW: When Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla exclaimed "Kya kamaal ki ride thi!" 10 minutes into his historic journey to space Wednesday, his maths teacher and mentor in school, Nageshwar Prasad Shukla, would have read more into it than what 1.4 billion-odd other proud Indians did. This was a boy so low on confidence after his Class XII pre-boards in 2002 that he feared telling his parents how much he had scored in maths. "One evening, he returned home after playing football and saw my bike parked outside. He entered his home looking nervous, having assumed that I was there to complain to his parents about his exam scores," recalled Nageshwar, who taught Shubhanshu at City Montessori School in Lucknow's Aliganj. As the excitement of Shubhanshu's "ride" from Aliganj to Axiom-4 coursed through his hometown, Nageshwar was among those celebrating not just a momentous achievement but also a triumph of spirit. "After his below-par performance, I motivated him to start afresh. He worked hard, delivered and made us all proud in the board exams. As they say, the rest is history," the teacher said. At the CMS auditorium on Shubhanshu's biggest day, his parents Shambhu Dayal and Asha Shukla sat in the front row, eyes fixed on the screen. The 12.01pm lift-off from Kennedy Space Center broke the silence in the room. Amid chants of "Hip Hip Hurray", a section of the audience leapt off their seats to do an impromptu bhangra. "In a single moment, I experienced pride, joy and tears," Shambhu Dayal said. "Shubhanshu has always been focused, disciplined and deeply patriotic. Today, as he flies into space, I see the reward of years of dedication. It's not just his achievement; it belongs to the entire nation." The astronaut's mother said all she would be doing throughout the mission is pray for her son's safe return. "My heart raced during the countdown. My son has taken our blessings with him on his voyage to space. I know he will be successful," said Asha. Shubhanshu's sister Nidhi said seeing the spacecraft "disappear into the sky" left her overwhelmed. "Years of hard work have paid off. Now, all I want is for my brother to return safely so that I can give him a tight hug." Niece Vaishnavi and nephew Nimay said they looked up to their "mama" as a "superhero" for whom no horizon was far enough to explore. "Today, world saw what we have known all along," said Nimay. Among those who watched the local boy's space voyage were teachers and alumni of CMS. "It wasn't just a mission launch, but history being created in front of us. As the rocket lifted off, I had goosebumps. Someone from our city was reaching for the stars. That moment made us believe that dreams, no matter how distant, are within reach," said Akriti Ahluwalia, one of the happy faces in the audience. Uttar Pradesh chief miniser Yogi Adityanath wrote on X, "A proud moment for India! Heartiest congratulations to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Mission Pilot of Axiom 4 Mission, on this historic achievement (sic)."
NDTV
25-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Bhangra, Tears And Chants In Lucknow As Shubhanshu Shukla Heads To Space
Lucknow: Chants of "Hip Hip Hurray", spontaneous bhangra and quiet tears. It was a morning to remember at the City Montessori School as Lucknow boy Shubhanshu Shukla lifted off into space -- and history -- on board the SpaceX Falcon 9-rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre (KSC) in Florida on Wednesday. As the rocket pierced through Florida skies, Group Captain Shukla became only the second Indian history to travel to space after Rakesh Shukla in 1984 and the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station. "It's a great moment not just for us but for our country. What can we say at this moment, I am struggling for words now. My blessings are always there with my son," his father Shambhu Shukla told PTI. "I have nothing more to say at this moment. I am delighted," Shubhanshu's mother Asha Shukla said. "I know he will be successful. Though I am eagerly looking forward for him to return after a successful mission, I also know that even after returning back on earth, it will take a while before he actually gets to back amongst us," she told PTI. The proud parents were there with many others at CMS Kanpur Road's World Unity Convention Centre (WUCC) auditorium to witness the launch live. Among those gathered were his his sisters, senior defence personnel, CMS faculty, the city's who's who and wide-eyed students. There was thunderous applause, cheers and impromptu bhangra as the rocket lifted off. Posters of Shubhanshu congratulating him on his historic space voyage have come up all over the state capital. And his alma mater CMS hosted Vyomotsav, an immersive watch-party that transformed the campus into a vibrant "mini space centre", paying tribute to its illustrious alumnus. The celebrations are set to continue through the day. CMS also arranged a live AXIOM mission broadcast, a replica of the ISS Cupola module, a "Defy Gravity" photo booth, telescope viewings, and a simulated Mission Control Centre. Born in Lucknow in 1985 and educated from Montessori through Class 12 at CMS Aliganj, Shukla went on to graduate from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2006. With over 2,000 hours of flight experience on elite combat aircraft, he was selected in 2019 for India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and later chosen as the pilot for Ax-4. Sharing the capsule with NASA senior Dr. Peggy Whitson (mission commander) and astronauts from Hungary and Poland, the 39-year-old's 14-day mission as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space will contribute to microgravity research in areas including human physiology, nutrition, and seed germination in space. CMS founder-director Bharti Gandhi said, "Many CMS students have brought us laurels, but Shubhanshu's journey to space will forever shine as a beacon of possibility for every Indian child." Added the school president and manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, "We are all overjoyed. Though their rocket is yet to reach the space, we are already over the moon." "From a curious young learner in our classrooms to a pioneering astronaut, Shux's story beautifully encapsulates our school's mission of 'Education for World Unity and Peace'."
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Bhangra and tears in Lucknow as city-boy Shubhanshu Shukla lift off to space
Chants of "Hip Hip Hurray", spontaneous bhangra and quiet tears. It was a morning to remember at the City Montessori School as Lucknow boy Shubhanshu Shukla lifted off into space -- and history -- on board the SpaceX Falcon 9-rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre (KSC) in Florida on Wednesday. People celebrated the successful launch as they watched the live broadcast of Axiom 4 space mission, in Lucknow.(PTI) As the rocket pierced through Florida skies, Group Captain Shukla became only the second Indian history to travel to space after Rakesh Shukla in 1984 and the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station. "It's a great moment not just for us but for our country. What can we say at this moment, I am struggling for words now. My blessings are always there with my son," his father Shambhu Shukla told PTI. "I have nothing more to say at this moment. I am delighted," Shubhanshu's mother Asha Shukla said. "I know he will be successful. Though I am eagerly looking forward for him to return after a successful mission, I also know that even after returning back on earth, it will take a while before he actually gets to back amongst us," she told PTI. The proud parents were there with many others at CMS Kanpur Road's World Unity Convention Centre (WUCC) auditorium to witness the launch live. Among those gathered were his his sisters, senior defence personnel, CMS faculty, the city's who's who and wide-eyed students. There was thunderous applause, cheers and impromptu bhangra as the rocket lifted off. Also read: 'Tiranga on my shoulders': Shubhanshu Shukla after historic Axiom-4 launch Posters of Shubhanshu Shukla congratulating him on his historic space voyage have come up all over the state capital. And his alma mater CMS hosted Vyomotsav, an immersive watch-party that transformed the campus into a vibrant "mini space centre", paying tribute to its illustrious alumnus. The celebrations are set to continue through the day. CMS also arranged a live AXIOM mission broadcast, a replica of the ISS Cupola module, a "Defy Gravity" photo booth, telescope viewings, and a simulated Mission Control Centre. Born in Lucknow in 1985 and educated from Montessori through Class 12 at CMS Aliganj, Shukla went on to graduate from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2006. With over 2,000 hours of flight experience on elite combat aircraft, he was selected in 2019 for India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and later chosen as the pilot for Ax-4. Sharing the capsule with NASA senior Dr. Peggy Whitson (mission commander) and astronauts from Hungary and Poland, the 39-year-old's 14-day mission as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space will contribute to microgravity research in areas including human physiology, nutrition, and seed germination in space. CMS founder-director Bharti Gandhi said, 'Many CMS students have brought us laurels, but Shubhanshu's journey to space will forever shine as a beacon of possibility for every Indian child.' Added the school president and manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, "We are all overjoyed. Though their rocket is yet to reach the space, we are already over the moon." "From a curious young learner in our classrooms to a pioneering astronaut, Shux's story beautifully encapsulates our school's mission of 'Education for World Unity and Peace'."
