Shubhanshu Shukla's liftoff: Indian astronaut's family, wife, and more as the Axiom-4 mission takes flight

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has embarked on the journey to the International Space Station aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which lifted off on Wednesday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre. As the Indian Air Force officer spends the next two weeks in the ISS, his family remains grounded in support, particularly his wife, Kamna, whose connection with him dates back to their school days in Lucknow.

Shubhanshu and Kamna first met in primary school, when they were in Class 3. Known then as 'Gunjan' to his classmates, Shubhanshu was remembered by Kamna as a quiet and serious boy. That early friendship grew stronger through the years, eventually evolving into marriage. The couple now have a six-year-old son, Sid. Kamna, a practising dentist, has been by his side through the demanding process of becoming an astronaut.

Before leaving Earth, Shukla shared a personal message on social media thanking his family and team. He included a note for Kamna: “Without you none of this was possible, but more importantly, none of this would matter.” A farewell photo showed the couple separated by glass, capturing the stillness before a historic leap.

Shubhanshu hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, is a retired government officer, and his mother, Asha Shukla, is a homemaker. He is the youngest of three siblings. The family has supported him through a military career that later shifted towards India’s growing space ambitions.

Kamna Shukla, a dentist, has quietly balanced her career in healthcare with her role as a mother and partner to an astronaut. Her constant presence and support have been central to Shubhanshu’s demanding professional path.

The couple’s journey began in school, where they first became friends. Their bond grew over time, rooted in long familiarity and shared values. It was a relationship shaped not by grand gestures but steady companionship.

Kamna recalls the beginning of 2020 as the time when the idea of Shubhanshu going to space began to take shape. With test pilots being considered for the Gaganyaan programme, the possibility became real, she told TOI. At home, Shubhanshu is described as someone who sticks to routines, working out, reading non-fiction, and playing with their son. The mission serves as a precursor to ISRO’s planned Gaganyaan mission in 2027, and India’s long-term goal of landing an astronaut on the Moon by 2040.