'Seeing My Son Feels Wonderful, Deeply Thankful For...': Capt Shubhanshu Shukla's Father Rejoices At Son's Homecoming From Space

Indian Air Force Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, is on cloud nine as his son returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).

Overwhelmed with joy, he shared his happiness with media personnel in Lucknow.

“Seeing my son feels wonderful. This moment is very emotional for us, as our son is back from the mission. His mission has been accomplished, and we are deeply thankful to God,” he told reporters.

"We will give him a grand welcome. We will celebrate... have a party," the proud father added.

Earlier, Shubhanshu Shukla's mother, Asha Shukla, couldn’t hold back her tears while watching the moment of her son's return unfold on a virtual screen.

She heaved a sigh of relief as tears streamed down her face following the successful splashdown. Shubhanshu’s father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, consoled her as her eyes welled up with emotion at the sight of her son’s safe return from space.

Asha Shukla had expressed her joy over her son's achievement and shared how proud she is of him on multiple occasions.

To mark the historic occasion, the family celebrated by cutting a three-tier cake in honor of Shubhanshu’s homecoming after scripting history.

The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission concluded successfully on July 15 at 3 PM, as astronauts Peggy Whitson, Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, Tibor Kapu, and India’s space hero Shubhanshu Shukla safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. The crew spent 18 days aboard the International Space Station.

Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian to travel to space in 41 years. The mission was funded by ISRO at an estimated cost of ₹550 crore.

India’s first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma, journeyed to space on April 3, 1984.

Also Read: Video: With Tearful Eyes, IAF Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's Mother Watches Son's Homecoming From ISS