NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s return from space, calling his achievement a source of inspiration for a billion dreams. Shukla, who spent 18 days aboard the International Space Station, is the first Indian to visit the ISS.
Welcoming him back, PM Modi said on X, “I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to space.”
He praised Shukla’s courage, dedication, and pioneering spirit, adding that the milestone brings India a step closer to its own human spaceflight mission — Gaganyaan.
The Dragon ‘Grace’ spacecraft, carrying Shukla and three other astronauts, safely splashed down off the coast of San Diego, California, on Tuesday, concluding a 22.5-hour return journey.
