Tears of joy: Parents of astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla get emotional after son lifts off into space

As Axiom Mission 4 soared into the skies from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it wasn’t just a historic lift-off — it was a deeply emotional moment for one family watching from their home in Lucknow.

At the Shukla household, pride and emotion ran high as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer, piloted the mission to the International Space Station. His mother, Asha Shukla, wiped away tears as she watched her son blaze a trail through space. “Everyone is happy. These are tears of joy,” she said, her voice trembling as relatives gathered around the screen.

His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, spoke with quiet pride: “We are happy,” he said, his few words carrying the weight of a lifetime of dreams. Friends, neighbours, and well-wishers joined the family to cheer for the astronaut’s achievement, one that has placed India on the global space map once again.

Addressing the nation from space, Shubhanshu Shukla said, “What a ride! We are back in space once again after 41 years… The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you.”