New Delhi [India], August 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who returned to Earth in July after completing NASA’s Axiom-4 space mission. During the meeting, Shukla shared that people around the world are excited about India’s Gaganyaan mission.
He added that his crew members were so enthusiastic that they made him promise to invite them to the Gaganyaan launch.
During the interaction, PM Modi asked, “As the first Indian to reach there, what are your thoughts? And what kind of questions do people ask ?”
Shubhanshu Shukla said, “Wherever I went, whoever I met, everyone was very happy to meet me, very excited. The biggest thing was that everyone knew about what India is doing in the field of space. Everyone knew about this, and many people were more excited about Gaganyaan. They would come and ask me, ‘When is your mission going?’ And my crew members made me sign that whenever Gaganyaan is gone, you will invite us to the launch.”
PM Modi then asked, “What change do you feel after such a long journey in space, and now coming back?”
“The environment up there is very different. Once we reach space, we can remove our seat belts and move around inside the capsule. The heart rate slows down, but the body starts adjusting in 3-4 days. But when we return to Earth, the body takes time to readjust. Even though I was healthy, I couldn’t walk properly. People had to hold me for support.”
PM Modi asked Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla about the use of moong and methi (fenugreek).
Shukla explained that food is a big challenge on space missions because space is limited and cargo is expensive. He said moong and methi are easy to grow with little water and sprout in just 8 days.
“Food is a big challenge on a space station; there is less space, and cargo is expensive. You always try to pack as many calories and nutrients as possible in the least space, and experiments are going on in every way. They are very easy to grow and need very few resources, just a little water, and they sprout in only 8 days. These are some of the secrets of our country.”
“They used to call you tag genius. What’s the reason behind that?” PM Modi asked
Shukla said, “…When I joined the Air Force, I thought that I would not have to study, but I will have to study a lot after that. And after becoming a test pilot, it becomes a discipline of engineering. So I think we were well prepared, when we reached for this mission…The mission has been successful, we have returned, but this mission is not the end, it is the beginning…”
PM Modi then said that the biggest work would be to have a very large pool of astronauts, 40-50 people in India.
Shukla shared that when he was young, becoming an astronaut seemed impossible because there were no programs. But now, children are asking him how they can become astronauts, showing that the dream is alive.
“When I was young, Rakesh Sharma sir went for the first time in 1984, but the dream of becoming an astronaut never came to my mind because we did not have any program. But when I went to the station this time, I spoke to the children three times. In every program, the children asked how can I become an astronaut? So I think this in itself is a big success for our country. In today’s India, they know that it is possible. We have the option and we can become. And like you said, it is my responsibility, I feel I got a lot of opportunities to represent my country and now it is my responsibility to take as many people as possible to this level,” Shukla said .
PM Modi then said, “Space station and Gaganyaan. These are our big missions. Your experience will be very useful in that.”
Shukla then praised the government’s strong commitment to the space program, despite setbacks like Chandrayaan 2, and said India has the capability to become a global leader in space.
“I think somewhere there is a very big opportunity for us, especially because the kind of commitment our government has made to sustain the space program, budget every year, inspite of failures like Chandrayaan 2. Even after that, we said no, we will move ahead. Chandrayaan 3 was successful. Even after such failures, if we are getting so much support and the whole world is seeing this. We have the capability, so we can acquire a leadership role here. You talked about Atmanirbharta in space manufacturing… So all these things are connected in the same way,” Shukla said
“If we do it self-reliantly, we will do well,” said PM Modi
Shukla, who returned to Earth on July 15 after completing NASA’s Axiom-4 (AX-4) space mission, landed in the national capital in the early hours of Sunday.
Shukla was part of NASA’s Axiom-4 Space Mission, which took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, US, on June 25. He returned to Earth on July 15, splashing down off the coast of California. He became the first Indian in 41 years to travel to space. (ANI)
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