!!!Subhanshu Shukla!!!
Why he’s in the news :-
Here’s why Shubhanshu Shukla is in the spotlight right now:
1. Historic ISS Mission:
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a 39-year-old Indian Air Force pilot and ISRO astronaut, is set
to become the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS)—and only the
second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984 .
He’ll be flying as pilot on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a collaborative effort between Axiom Space,
NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO .
2. Cultural Symbolism:
Shukla is bringing along “Joy”, a white plush swan, to serve both as a zero-gravity indicator and a
symbol of Indian culture: the swan is Saraswati’s vahana, representing wisdom and purity .
Additionally, he’s carrying personal and cultural touches—from postcards from IISc Bengaluru to
traditional sweets like aamras, gajar halwa, and moong dal halwa .
About Shubhankar shukla:
Born: 10 October 1985 (age 39)
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Nationality: Indian
Alma mater:
• Jawaharlal Nehru University (B.S.)
• National Defence Academy
• Indian Air Force Academy
• IISc Bangalore (M.Tech)
Occupations :
• AstronautTest pilot
• Space career
• ISRO astronaut
Selection:
• 1st Vyomanaut Group (2019)
Military career :
Nickname(s): “Shux”
Allegiance: India
Service / branch : Indian Air Force
Years of service: 2006–present [1]
Rank: Group Captain
Service number : 29014
Spouse(s) : Kamna Shubha Shukla
Early life and education:
Shukla, a native of Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, completed his schooling at City Montessori School,
Aliganj. Inspired by the 1999 Kargil War, he independently applied for and cleared the UPSC NDA
examination. He completed his military training and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in
Computer Science from the National Defence Academy in 2005.
He was then selected for the flying branch and underwent training at the Indian Air Force Academy.
In June 2006, he was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force as a Flying
officer.
Indian Air Force Career:
He is a combat leader and seasoned test pilot with about 2,000 hours of flying experience in various
aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier 228, and An-32.
ISRO Astronaut Career:
Shukla was included in the astronaut selection process in 2019 by the Institute of Aerospace
Medicine (IAM), an organization under the Indian Air Force for the Indian Human Spaceflight
Programme. Later, he was shortlisted in the final four by IAM and ISRO. In 2020, He went to
Russia for basic training with three other selected astronauts at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut
Training Center. Basic training was completed in 2021. He then returned to India and attended
training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bangalore. During this time period, he completed his
Master of Technology degree from IISc Bangalore in Aerospace Engineering.
His name as a member of the astronaut team was first officially announced in public on 27 February
2024, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the names of the astronaut team members
for India’s first human space mission at ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in
Thiruvananthapuram.
Axiom Mission 4 :
Shukla has been selected as the pilot for the upcoming Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space
Station. He will join a crew led by commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Sławosz
Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu. Fellow ISRO astronaut Prasanth Nair has been designated as
the backup crew member; both underwent training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The mission, a collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO, aims to strengthen international
spaceflight cooperation. If successful, Shukla will become the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS
and the second Indian in orbit, after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma. The cost of his seat is estimated in
the “mid-$60-million range” (approximately ₹500 crore)