“Tricolor on My Shoulders”: Shubhanshu Shukla Sends First Message from Space, Declares Dawn of India's Human Space Program

India etched a historic moment in space history as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, aboard the Axiom-4 mission, soared toward the International Space Station (ISS) on June 24. Just moments after launch, Shukla sent his first emotional message from space, igniting pride across the nation.

First Words from Orbit: A Message of Unity and Aspiration

“Hello my dear countrymen, after 41 years we have reached space again. At this time we are moving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometers per second. I have the tricolor on my shoulder, which is telling me that I am not alone, all of you are with me.”

“This is not the beginning of my journey to the ISS—this is the beginning of India's human space program. I want all of you to be a part of this journey. Your chest should also swell with pride. Let us all together begin India's human space program. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!”

Shukla’s message carries not just nationalistic sentiment but symbolic weight

, positioning India as ready to step into the era of long-term, independent human spaceflight missions.

About the Axiom-4 Mission

• Launch Time: June 24, 12:01 PM IST

• Arrival at ISS: Expected by 4:30 PM IST on June 25, after a 28-hour journey

• Mission Duration: 14 days aboard the ISS

• Crew Members:

  • Shubhanshu Shukla (India) – ISRO representative

  • Peggy Whitson (USA) – Veteran NASA astronaut and mission commander

  • Slavoj Ujnanski-Wisniewski (Poland) – ESA astronaut

  • Tibor Kapu (Hungary)

Launch Delayed but Now in Flight

The Axiom-4 launch faced multiple postponements—initially set for May 29, then pushed to June 8, 10, and 11, finally taking off on June 24 after a long wait. The mission is a collaborative effort by NASA and SpaceX, and marks India’s re-entry into crewed spaceflight after four decades, since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission.

A New Chapter for India’s Space Ambitions

Shukla’s mission is symbolic for several reasons:

• First Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station

• Marks India’s participation in commercial and global space collaborations

• Lays the foundation for India’s upcoming indigenous Gaganyaan mission and future commercial space station plans