‘Today’s India Looks Ambitious from Space, Looks Fearless, Confident, And Full of Pride: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s Stirring Farewell

By R Anil Kumar

• “India still looks ‘saarejahan se accha’ from space,” said the Ax-4 mission pilot during a formal farewell ceremony aboard the ISS on Sunday. “Today’s India looks full of ambition, fearless and confident from space,” he added. “Jaldi hi dharti pe mulaqat karte hai (we will meet on Earth soon ).”

International Space Station. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS), delivered an emotional and inspiring farewell speech as the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew prepared to return to Earth.

In a moment that resonated with millions, he echoed the legendary words of Rakesh Sharma, updating them for a new era: “Aaj ka Bharat space se mahatvakaanshi dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat space se nidar dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat confident dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat garv se poorn dikhta hai aur inhi sab kaarano ki vajah se aaj mai fir se keh sakta hoon ki aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai.”

This translates to, “Today’s India looks ambitious from space. Today’s India looks fearless, confident, and full of pride. For all these reasons, I can once again say that today’s India is still more splendid than the entire world.”

During the farewell ceremony, which was shared on Axiom Space’s official social media, Shukla expressed profound gratitude to the people of India, ISRO, NASA, international partners, Axiom Space, and SpaceX. He acknowledged the tireless efforts of ISRO colleagues, researchers, and students who contributed to the mission’s scientific and outreach activities. Shukla highlighted the joy of working alongside a diverse team of professionals and underscored the mission’s impact, not only in science but also in fostering international collaboration and unity.

Reflecting on the experience, he remarked on the magical feeling of observing Earth from space and the privilege of representing his country on such a historic mission. He thanked all organizations involved for their unwavering support and comprehensive training, which ensured the mission’s success.

Shukla also agreed with his Hungarian crewmate, Tibor Kapu, emphasizing the far-reaching effects of the mission beyond scientific achievements. He noted, “The one thing that really sticks to me is what humanity is capable of when all of us come together from different parts of the world and work for a common goal. It is truly incredible.”

The Ax-4 crew—Commander Peggy Whitson, ISRO’s Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA astronaut Slawosz “Suave” Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and HUNOR astronaut Tibor Kapu—spent nearly 18 days aboard the ISS. Their stay was marked by the completion of over 60 scientific experiments and various outreach activities. The Dragon spacecraft, which will return them to Earth, is scheduled to undock from the ISS on July 14 at 4:35 PM IST, with splashdown expected in the Pacific Ocean off California on July 15 at approximately 3 PM IST. The return journey will take about 22 hours and bring back over 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and mission data.

Axiom Mission 4 was launched on June 25, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS on June 26, ahead of schedule, connecting to the Harmony module and marking the beginning of a historic mission for India and its partners.

As the crew shared an emotional farewell and embraced each other, Shukla concluded with optimism: “We will meet soon on earth.” His words and the mission itself stand as a testament to India’s growing ambition, confidence, and pride in the global space community.