Your size increases, your heart shrinks… Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla shared his experience

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Ashoka Chakra-awarded Indian Air Force officer, was speaking at the Military Literature Festival today, drawing rapt attention from all. He inspired young people by sharing his experiences of traveling to the International Space Station as part of the Axiom Mission. Group Captain Shukla was a pilot on the mission. He said that he never felt alone during the mission because the entire country was part of his space mission.

Group Captain Shukla became the first Indian to fly into space and reach the International Space Station, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. He orbited the Earth 320 times and participated in numerous scientific experiments for ISRO. He returned safely to Earth on July 15, 2025.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said that his true mission is to see an Indian hoist the Tricolor on the Moon by 2040.

Group Captain Shukla was speaking at a program titled “From Fighter Cockpit to Spacecraft: India’s New Frontier in Air and Space Power” at the ongoing three-day 10th Military Literature Festival in Chandigarh.

He said, “After Axiom, I am actively prepared to make our national mission Gaganyaan a success and further contribute to India’s growth and prosperity.” Group Captain Shukla , during the talk, gave a detailed and engaging presentation about his 20-day, 3-hour journey to space and back on Axiom Mission 4 in June 2025.

Held every winter on the banks of Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, this military festival is a joint initiative of the Punjab government, the Chandigarh Administration, and the Indian Army’s Western Command. This annual festival provides a glimpse of the discipline of military life to young people aspiring to join the armed force, and also provides an interesting platform for discussing important national, international, and geo political issues.

The internationally recognized astronaut described his experience of taking off on a space capsule from the International Space Station (ISS) in the United States as “violent and chaotic,” completely contrary to his expectations. Group Captain Shukla said, “As soon as we lifted off from the International Space Station (ISS), I wondered if I had made the right decision to go to space.” He also added that any challenge initially involves anxiety and confusion.

Group Captain Shukla urged young people to embrace science to pursue their dreams with courage, saying that classrooms inspire big dreams that must be pursued with courage and passion to succeed and serve society.

Sharing his in-flight experience of spending over 20 days aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, he said that the reduced gravity initially feels strange. He added, “Your size increases; your heart shrinks, and you experience many physical and mental changes while in space. Although you prepare for every challenge, your true strength comes from your determination to go back and serve society through research.”

Inspiring young people to face challenges with the right spirit, Group Captain Shukla shared with the audience that Mission Director Dr. Peggy Whitson faced nine rejections of her astronaut application before being selected to go to space at the age of 39. He added, “Dr. Whitson’s longest stay in space is now a source of inspiration for anyone who feels negative at any stage of their lives.”