As the crew of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) were ready to return to Earth, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS, gave a moving and motivational farewell address.
“Aaj ka Bharat space se mahatvakaanshi dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat space se nidar dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat confident dikhta hai, aaj ka Bharat garv se poorn dikhta hai aur inhi sab kaarano ki vajah se aaj mai fir se keh sakta hoon ki aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai.” He echoed Rakesh Sharma’s famous words, updating them for a new era.
In other words, “From space, India appears ambitious today.” India appears bold, self-assured, and proud today. I can reiterate that India is still more magnificent than the rest of the globe for all of these reasons.
Shukla conveyed his sincere gratitude to the Indian people, ISRO, NASA, international partners, Axiom Space, and SpaceX during the departure ceremony, which was posted on Axiom Space’s official social media accounts. He praised the dedicated work of ISRO researchers, students, and colleagues who supported the mission’s outreach and scientific endeavors. Shukla emphasized the value of working with a varied group of professionals and the mission’s influence on promoting global cooperation and solidarity in addition to research.
As he reflected on the event, he spoke of the honor of representing his nation on such a historic expedition and the enchanted sense of viewing Earth from space. He expressed gratitude to all participating organizations for their steadfast assistance and thorough training, which made the mission a success.
Shukla also concurred with Tibor Kapu, his Hungarian crewmate, who emphasized the mission’s broad implications beyond scientific advancements. “What really sticks to me is what humanity can achieve when we all come together from all over the world and work toward a common goal,” he said. It’s really amazing.”
The Ax-4 crew, which included HUNOR astronaut Tibor Kapu, ISRO’s Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA astronaut Slawosz “Suave” Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Commander Peggy Whitson, spent almost eighteen days on board the ISS. More than 60 scientific investigations and a variety of outreach initiatives were completed during their visit. The Dragon spacecraft, which will bring them back to Earth, is slated to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near California on July 15 at around 3 PM IST after undocking from the ISS on July 14 at 4:35 PM IST. It will take almost 22 hours to return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including mission data and NASA hardware.
On June 25, 2025, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida launched Axiom Mission 4 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. A historic journey for India and its allies began on June 26 when the Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS ahead of time, attaching to the Harmony module.
Shukla ended with hope as the crew gave each other heartfelt goodbyes and embraced: “We will meet soon on earth.” His remarks and the mission itself are evidence of India’s increasing aspirations, self-assurance, and pride in the international space community.
