"16 Sunrises, 16 Sunsets Daily": Astronaut Shukla Tells PM Modi
By : Sandhya
In a historic moment for India’s space journey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who became the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS). Calling him the pride of the nation, PM Modi said, “You may be far from the motherland, but you're closest to every Indian heart.”
Responding from space, Shukla said the journey was not his alone but “our country’s.” Describing his experience, he said, “We see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets a day. It’s beautiful, surreal, and humbling.”
Shukla also highlighted the absence of visible borders from space: “From here, Earth looks united — no countries, just one home for all humanity. India appears grand, much larger than the map we know.”
Talking about adapting to space, he said, “Training doesn’t prepare you for everything. With no gravity, even sleeping is a challenge.” Despite initial discomfort, he shared how awe-inspiring it is to float, learn, and live in microgravity.
Mr Shukla and his multinational Axiom-4 crew, including American veteran Peggy Whitson and astronauts from Poland and Hungary, docked at the ISS after a 28-hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. Their mission, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, will include 14 days of scientific research and global interaction.
Shukla, only the second Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma in 1984, concluded his message saying, “I carry the Tiranga and the hopes of a billion people. Let’s make this journey unforgettable.”