Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Reunites With Wife, Son After Historic Space Mission
Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who scripted history as the first Indian to stay on the International Space Station (ISS), shared an emotional reunion with his family in Houston on Wednesday after successfully completing his 18-day space odyssey.
Touching photos shared online show the astronaut embracing his wife, Kamna Shukla, and their six-year-old son, Kiash, after he was released from post-flight quarantine.
Shukla, fondly known as ‘Shuks’, returned to Earth on Tuesday, splashing down alongside his Axiom-4 crewmates — commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
A Group Captain in the IAF, Shukla is only the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 flight. He created a new record as the first Indian to visit the ISS and for completing the longest stint for an Indian in orbit, spending 20 days circling the Earth.
During his 18 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, Shukla conducted over 60 scientific experiments in microgravity, focusing on subjects like muscle regeneration, crop viability, and cognitive performance in space.
His wife, Kamna, who has been in the US since his launch from Florida on June 25, spoke to PTI from Houston about their family’s joy and future plans.
“Now that Shubhanshu has safely returned, our immediate focus will be on his rehabilitation and ensuring he smoothly readjusts to life on earth,” she said. “I am already preparing some of his favourite dishes, knowing how much he must have missed home cooked meals.”
Kamna recalled the thrill of their conversations while he was in orbit. “Receiving his call from the International Space Station right after docking was an unexpected and wonderful surprise… These phone calls became the highlight of my day,” she told PTI.
The mission has made Shukla a national hero and a new poster boy at his alma mater, City Montessori School in Lucknow, where he and his wife have known each other since Class 3. Kamna expressed her hope that his journey will inspire a new generation.
“The essence of Shubhanshu’s mission was always about inspiring the younger generation to pursue STEM fields,” she said. Shukla is also a key part of ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission, India’s first planned human spaceflight, scheduled for 2027.
