New Delhi [India], June 28 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for hoisting the Tricolour in space and said, "while you are away from our motherland, you are the closest to the hearts of Indians".
The Prime Minister interacted with Group Captain Shukla, who has created history by becoming the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), and asked about his well-being.
"Today, you are away from our motherland, but you are the closest to the hearts of Indians...Aapke naam mein bhi shubh hai aur aapki yatra naye yug ka shubharambh bhi hai," PM Modi said.
"At this time only the two of us are talking, but the feelings of 140 crore Indians are also with me. My voice contains the enthusiasm and excitement of all Indians. I extend my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to you for hoisting our flag in Space. Is everything fine there? Are you well?" he asked.
During the interaction, PM Modi asked Group Captain Shukla if he had 'Gajar ka halwa' he took along.
Group Captain Shukla said that astronauts from other countries on ISS joined him for enjoying rich Indian culinary.
"Yes, I bought gajar ka halwa, moong dal ka halwa and aam ras. I wanted everyone who has joined me from other countries to enjoy the rich Indian culinary. All of us had it together and everyone liked it," he said.
The Axiom-4 Mission , carrying Group Captain Shukla and three other crew members , docked with the ISS on June 26.
Group Captain Shukla is the second Indian to go into Space.
Earlier, following the successful launch of the Axiom 4 mission, PM Modi had stated that Group Captain Shukla is carrying the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.
"We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is on the way to become the first Indian to go to International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success!" PM Modi had said in a post on X.
Group Captain Shukla had described the launch as "magical" and reflected on his journey.
"I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts - what a ride it was. Honestly, as I sat in the capsule 'Grace' on the launchpad yesterday after 30 days of quarantine, all I could think was: just go. When the launch finally happened, it was something else entirely. You're pushed back into the seat--and then suddenly, there's silence. You're just floating in the vacuum, and it's magical," he said.
He expressed gratitude to the mission team, calling the experience a "collective achievement".
"I truly appreciate the efforts of every individual who made this journey possible. It's not just a personal accomplishment - it belongs to all of us," he added.
Axiom 4 mission aboard the Dragon spacecraft successfully docked at the ISS on Thursday, ahead of schedule, autonomously docking at 4:05 pm (IST) to the space-facing port of the space station's Harmony module.
Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary were part of the crew for the Axiom 4 mission.
After his arrival at the ISS, Group Captain Shukla called it a "privilege" to become the 634th human in space and the first Indian to enter the ISS, saying the experience of seeing Earth from such a vantage point was "wonderful."
After receiving his official astronaut pin from Ax-4 Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Shukla said, "I am no 634, that's a privilege."
"To be fair, it is a privilege to be amongst the few who have got the chance to see the Earth from a vantage point that I have been able to see now. It has been a wonderful ride. I was looking forward to coming to space--it is something to look forward. But the moment I entered the ISS, I felt welcomed. You (Expedition 73 crew) guys literally opened up your doors like your house doors for us, that was fantastic. The expectations I had were surpassed, so thank you so much; this was fantastic. I am confident the next 14 days are going to be amazing doing science and research," said Shukla in his 'arrival remarks' after entering the ISS.
"I have a small message for my countrymen: It is because of your love and "The Tricolour I bear on my shoulder makes me feel as though the entire country is with me. I believe the next 14 days are going to be truly interesting," he added.
The astronauts plan to spend about two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities.
Group Captain Shukla will conduct experiments onboard the International Space Station as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).