Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla after the successful launch of the Axiom Mission -4. PM Modi said that Grp Cpt Shukla has carried with him the hopes of 1.40 billion Indians.
"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," PM Modi said in his X post.
"Wish him and other astronauts all the success!" he added.
PM Modi's Tweet:
Grp Cpt Shukla has become the first Indian to travel to space in 41 years as Axiom Mission-4's Dragon spacecraft successfully lifted off from Florida on Wednesday. In his first message from space, Grp Cpt Shukla said "Jai Hind, Jai Bharat".
"Namaskar Mere Pyare Deshwasiyon. Kaafi Saal Baad Hum Phir Wapas Antariksh Mein Pohonch Gaye Hain. Kamaal Ki Ride Thi. Mere saath Mere Kande Pe Tiranga Hai (Namaskar, my beloved countrymen. After so many years we reached space. It was a very exciting ride. Tircolour is with me on my shoulder)," the Indian astronaut said. He finished his message, saying "Jai Hind, Jai Bharat".
Notably, Grp Cpt Shukla has become the second India to travel to space after Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma.
The much-delayed Axiom-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 pm IST towards the ISS. The other three crew members of the mission are- former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
