‘Saare Jahan Se Acha': Shubhanshu Shukla Gives Shout Out To ‘Confident Bharat’ As AX-4 Crew Bids Farewell At ISS

In the farewell ceremony for the Axiom Space AX-4 mission, Indian Air Force Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla delivered an emotional address, reflecting on his time aboard the International Space Station and India's growing presence in space exploration.

Describing the mission as “an incredible journey,” Shukla credited the team and support crew for making the experience unforgettable. “It has been made amazing and incredible because of the people who are involved,” he said, while thanking his fellow astronauts and the ground teams.

Speaking with deep conviction, Shukla emphasized the importance of collective resolve and ambition, “I’ve had a fantastic journey,” Shukla said, addressing fellow Indians watching back home. “As this journey completes, our [yours and mine] journey is long. India’s human spaceflight journey is both long and challenging. But I assure you, if we decide, even the stars are attainable,” he told Indians. 

"...I agree with Tibor [Kapu] that these missions have far reaching implications that go beyond science. And I believe it will do so in our country. I carry with me a lot of memories and learnings. But what stays with me most is what humanity can achieve when we all come together for a common goal,” he said. 

He then turned to India’s legacy in space, recalling how 41 years ago, Rakesh Sharma made history as the first Indian to go to space and famously described India as “Saare Jahan Se Accha” (better than the entire world) when asked how the country looked from space.

Shukla thanked ISRO, Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX for enabling the mission, while also recognising the efforts of students and researchers in India who contributed to its science and outreach initiatives.

Offering a contemporary perspective, Shukla described what India looks like from above today. “Today’s India looks ambitious from space, today’s India looks brave, today’s India looks confident, today’s India looks full of pride,” he declared. “And because of all these, I can say once again that today’s India still looks better than the whole world.”

The farewell event marked the end of a successful 14-day stay aboard the ISS for the AX-4 crew, a mission conducted in collaboration with SpaceX and Axiom Space. The team is now preparing to return to Earth following their intensive research and international collaboration in orbit on July 15 via splashdown.

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