&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Saare Jahaan Se Achha’ moment 2.0: PM Modi’s call with Shubhanshu Shukla sparks memories of Indira Gandhi–Rakesh Sharma space chat")
“The sky is never the limit—neither for you, nor for me, nor for India,” said Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, speaking from space during a video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (June 28). Modi spoke with Shukla, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla has already made history as the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS, and only the second Indian ever in space, after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
The IAF Group Captain is joined on the station by three other international astronauts: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, Peggy Whitson from the United States, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
During their virtual conversation, Modi told Shukla: “You may be the farthest from Indian soil, but you are the closest to the hearts of its people.” Modi added that Shukla’s mission marks a Shubh Aarambh—a new and hopeful beginning for the youth of Bharat.
This heartfelt exchange sparked a wave of nostalgia, reminding Indians of another iconic moment in the country’s space history: when Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, had a live chat with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. When she asked how India looked from space, Sharma famously replied: “Saare jahaan se achha Hindustan hamara.”
What is the Axiom-4 mission?
Shukla is now part of the Axiom-4 mission, a private spaceflight aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The mission is historic not just for India but globally. It includes astronauts from India, the US, Poland, and Hungary, and features over 60 scientific experiments from 31 countries.
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Shukla will also carry out research designed by ISRO and Indian institutions, including studies on muscle strength, cognitive response, and gut health in microgravity.
Axiom Space’s long-term goal is to build the world’s first commercial space station, which will eventually replace the ISS after it retires.
