While all of Lucknow was thrilled to welcome its ‘beta’ (son), Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, nothing matched the excitement of children. When Shukla addressed them in the presence of the state’s chief minister and other dignitaries, he asked them- when in 2040, we go to the moon, will you be ready? A roar of ‘Yes’ came back. Shukla quipped that he wasn’t going anywhere and would be in the reckoning to go on that future mission.
V Narayanan, ISRO chairman, also present at the ceremony during which Shukla was felicitated, said that the successful 18-day mission was like a victory on the cricket field, which had the magical ability to bring the whole nation together.
Shukla said that while the mission might have ended, this was the beginning of India’s journey towards a manned mission of its own.
While he did not expand on the kinds of experiments he had conducted, he said that in the seven that he had conducted (which were designed by Indian scientists), the biggest payback was not that the scientific data that these had yielded, but that the door to study microgravity had been opened for the country.
Shukla, who entered Lucknow around 8am, was greeted by balloons, festoons, and school children dressed as astronauts. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak welcomed Shukla with a bouquet at the airport. His first stop was his alma mater, City Montessori School. School children had lined the road along Shukla’s convoy, despite light showers that fell on the state’s capital.
At his school, one of the questions lobbed to him was - how did his wife, Kamna, choose to marry him. Shukla took the question and said that she had a special talent to spot who would be successful in the long run. While that brought lots of laughter, Shukla’s incomparable imprint lay in the queries about how they (school children) could become astronauts. Shukla was encouraging and humble, stressing that he was not very talented as a schoolboy. That is not something that his teachers will agree with.
A small film was also part of the felicitation ceremony, which started with Shukla’s rephrasing of Rakesh Sharma’s famous words: that even from space India was ‘saare jahan se achcha’. Sharma, who was the first Indian in space, had invited Shukla for dinner before he left for preparations for the Axiom 4 mission.
Throughout the daylong ceremonies, Shukla remained witty. He jested that he had been a part of 2000 selfies since the morning. And in smiling for those selfies, he had finally realized why it is said ‘muskuriaye ki aap Lucknow mein hain’ (smile that you are in Lucknow).
On stage, Shukla was accompanied by his wife and proud parents - Shambhu Dayal and Asha.
Shukla stressed the need to take forward the momentum created by the mission. It was but a marvel of engineering that human bodies could survive in a zero-gravity atmosphere that is not meant for them. He said that it was of utmost importance that the enthusiasm not be lost.
Also read
- Several feared trapped after stone quarry collapses in UP; govt order violation alleged
- Rural UP responds actively to ‘Viksit Uttar Pradesh @ 2047’ campaign
- 'I Love Muhammad' graffiti on temple walls in UP: Spelling mistake leads Aligarh police to arrest four
- UP CM Yogi Adityanath makes renewed push for Agra's Shivaji Museum construction: When will it be completed?
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in his address that he had discussed how such missions could make life easier for the common man. For example, early warning systems that minimise crop and other losses, and better weather predictions.
He also called upon the state’s science and technology department to take advantage of Shukla’s experiences. He also announced the start of a scholarship for such students who want to get a higher education in space technology. He also thanked the people of Lucknow for the big welcome they gave Shukla.
