Astronaut now recognised profession in India, says 'Gaganyatri' Shukla

Pune: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s first astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), has said that being an astronaut is now a recognised profession in India, offering “endless opportunities” for young minds.

Speaking at the Pune Literature Festival, organised alongside the National Book Trust’s Pune Book Festival on Sunday, Shukla encouraged students to dream big, even aiming to land on the Moon. “Maybe someone sitting here today, a girl or a boy, will one day set foot on the lunar surface. When you come, I will be there to compete with you,” he said.

Highlighting India’s strides in space exploration, he said the country is working on its own human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space and bring them back safely. “Beyond this, we are also planning to set up our own Bharatiya Space Station. By 2040, India aims to land on the Moon,” Shukla added.

Recounting his journey, Shukla said he grew up inspired by India’s first astronaut, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew to space in 1984. “I was born in 1985 and grew up listening to those stories. But the thought of becoming an astronaut never occurred to me because India did not have a programme then. Today, however, astronaut is a profession. It is no longer a dream. One can actually become an astronaut,” he said, urging students to work hard.

Shukla also spoke about the profound experience of seeing Earth from space. “When one leaves the planet, one’s sense of identity comes from the planet itself. Earth becomes your home. Not a particular country or city. That feeling is extremely powerful,” he said.

He detailed the rigorous training involved in becoming a ‘Gaganyatri’, which began in 2020, and described the intense experience of the rocket launch in 2025. “The ignition of the rocket is so powerful that your entire body shakes. It is an extremely intense experience,” he recalled.

Shukla also shared insights about life aboard the ISS, including daily routines in microgravity, biological changes experienced by astronauts, and light-hearted moments in space. He highlighted the scientific experiments conducted during the mission, noting that the lessons learned would support India’s plans for its own space station in the near future.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to travel to the ISS when the Gaganyaan mission was launched on 25 June 2025. He returned to Earth on 15 July, completing an 18-day mission with fellow Axim-4 crew members as part of Expedition 73, marking a new chapter in India’s human spaceflight programme and international space cooperation.