Before homecoming, Shubhanshu Shukla echoes Rakesh Sharma's 'Saare jahan se accha' sentiment

New Delhi: India looks full of ambition, fearless, confident and full of pride from space, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla said on Sunday as he wrapped up his 18-day stay at the International Space Station

"Even today, Bharat looks 'saare jahan se accha' from above," Shukla said, reprising the iconic words of India's first astronaut Rakesh Sharma, who travelled to space as part of a Russian mission in 1984.

Shukla was speaking at a farewell ceremony for Axiom-4 mission astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) who are set to begin their return journey to the Earth on Monday.

"It almost seems magical to me... It has been a fantastic journey for me," Shukla said of his stay at the ISS, which began on June 26.

The Indian astronaut said he was taking with him a lot of memories and learnings that he will share with his countrymen.

The Axiom-4 mission undocks from the ISS on Monday and is expected to splash down off the California coast on Tuesday.

The Axiom-4 mission with pilot Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu began their space odyssey on June 25 when the Falcon-9 rocket carrying the Dragon space capsule blasted off from Florida towards the ISS.

Shukla exuded a feeling of pride, gratitude, and hope for India's future space journey at the farewell.

"It has been a fantastic journey (kamaal ki yatra rahi hai). Now this journey is coming to an end. But the journey of our human space flight is very long. It is also difficult," he said.

"But, let me assure you that if we decide, then even stars are attainable (taara api prapyante)," he said, sharing a Sanskrit phrase.

Recalling his icon Rakesh Sharma, Shukla said 41 years ago, an Indian travelled to space and described how India looked from there.

"We all are still curious to know how India looks today from above. Aaj ka Bharat mahatvakanshi dikhta hai. Aaj ka Bharat nidar dikhta hai, Aaj ka Bharat confident dikhta hai. Aaj ka Bharat garv se purna dikhta hai. (Today's India looks full of ambition, fearless, confident and full of pride)," Shukla said.

"It is because of all these reasons, I can say it once again that today's India still looks 'saare jahan se accha'. Jaldi hi dharti pe mulakat karte hai (we will meet on earth soon)," he said.

Shukla expressed his gratitude to the people who made the mission possible.

"It has been made incredible by people on the space station. It was a joy to be working with professionals like you," he said, acknowledging both his Indian and international colleagues.

He highlighted the mission's scientific achievements, outreach efforts, and the sense of wonder that comes from viewing the Earth from orbit.

Shukla also expressed gratitude to Isro, Axiom Space, Nasa, and SpaceX for making the mission possible, and acknowledged the students and researchers back home who contributed to the outreach and science programmes.

"...I agree with Tibor that these missions have far-reaching implications that go beyond science. And I believe it will do so in our country. I carry with me a lot of memories and learnings. But what stays with me most is what humanity can achieve when we all come together for a common goal," he said.