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India’s first astronaut Rakesh Sharma records heartfelt message to Shubhanshu Shukla. Watch
Rakesh Sharma congratulates Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on his historic Axiom-4 space mission, becoming the second Indian in space after Sharma.
Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma who became the first Indian to go into space in 1984 shared a special message for Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla who lifted off into space as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Shukla is the first Indian astronaut headed to space for the ISS and the second Indian in history to travel to space, after Sharma. In his video message, Sharma shares his best wishes for the crew of Axiom-4 and advises them to spend as much time as they can looking out the window to enjoy the view outside.
"Wishing you all the best. To the crew: Godspeed! Spend as much time as you can looking out of the window. Have a fun time, guys," Sharma said in his video message.
Take a look at the video here:
Sharma won hearts across India with his reply when the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked him how India looked from space. The astronaut famously recited a line from Allama Iqbal’s poem, telling the PM ‘Saare Jahan Se Accha’ (Better than the whole world).
The Indian Air Force also mentioned Sharma's historic space flight while congratulating Shukla on his maiden flight. Calling it a deja vu moment, the IAF said that the mission was a "reaffirmation of India's ever-expanding horizon."
"From conquering the skies to touching the stars— a journey powered by the indomitable spirit of the IAF Air Warrior. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla sets forth on a landmark Space Mission, carrying the pride of the nation beyond Earth. This is a dèjà-vu moment for India, 41 years after the mission of Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma, who first carried our Tricolour beyond Earth. Being more than a mission — it is reaffirmation of India’s ever-expanding horizon," it said in a post on X.
