Shubhanshu adjusting to life on Earth, says his father; Lucknow awaits hero's return

Lucknow: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut who along with three others returned recently from a successful space mission, is in Houston in the US, as he readjusts to life on Earth, his father said on Thursday.

Shukla, or "Shux", his call sign among colleagues and nickname for friends, splashed down on Earth on Tuesday after 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). He is the first Indian on the ISS and the second after legendary Rakesh Sharma to venture into space.

Right now, he is in Houston. His wife Kamna, and their six-year-old son, Kiash, are already there. According to an official statement quoting Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Shukla and the three other astronauts of the mission will remain in quarantine until July 23 to complete medical and re-adaptation procedures.

"From the 24th, they will begin discussions with ISRO. Debriefings with Axiom and NASA will follow," he added.

"He (Shubhanshu) said he is under excellent care; (it) is required for him to readjust to life on Earth. His wife and son are there too," Shambhu Dayal, Shukla's father, told PTI in Lucknow.

"During our telephonic conversation, Shubhanshu appeared excited at the accomplishment that means so much for the country."

The 39-year-old Indian Air Force officer, who became a national icon after his mission to ISS aboard the SpaceX's Dragon 'Grace' spacecraft, is currently with his family in Houston.

Speaking to PTI from the US, Shukla's wife, Kamna Shukla, said, "We are in Houston and we have already met him. He is with us. 'Homecoming has happened.'"

Shukla's father said the family in Lucknow was overwhelmed by the public response to Shubhanshu's achievement and they are eager to welcome him.

"It will take a while (to come to Lucknow)... but, of course, whenever he comes there would be big celebration," he said.

"But to tell you the truth. These days every moment is celebration time for us; the entire locality is rejoicing with us. He is the toast of the nation. And his arrival here would only accentuate our happiness index," he added, his pride unmistakable.

The excitement is equally palpable at Shukla's alma mater, City Montessori School (CMS), where students and staff are preparing to honour their star alumnus.

"I am like super motivated now for a career as an astronaut. I think space is going to be the latest fad among young, all thanks to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, our illustrious senior," Aarav Singh Chauhan, a Class XII student at CMS, told PTI.

CMS Communications Head Rishi Khanna said the entire school community was proud of the astronaut's historic journey.

"Shubhanshu has stirred the imagination of youth and knowing well how much this space voyage of his means for India and its upcoming Gaganyaan programme, the entire 70,000-strong CMS family along with the rest of Lucknow would extend him a warm welcome whenever he visits his birth place," he told PTI.

Shukla's mission, which ended with a safe splashdown off the coast of San Diego, marked a milestone for India's human spaceflight ambitions.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday evening, Shukla shared heartwarming photos of him meeting his wife and son.

"It was challenging. Coming back to Earth and holding my family back in my arms felt like home. Human spaceflight missions are magical but they are made magical by humans. Space flight is amazing but seeing your loved ones after a long time is equally amazing," he said in the post.

"It has been 2 months since I entered quarantine. During the quarantine family visits we had to be 8 m apart. My little one had to be told that he had germs on his hands, and that is why he could not touch his father. Every time he would come for the visit he would ask his mom 'Can I wash my hands?' It was challenging," he wrote, advising people to value their loved ones.

"Find a loved one today and tell them that you love them. We often get busy in life and forget how important the people in our lives are," he said.

Shukla is also part of ISRO's plan to launch the Gaganyaan, India's first human space flight, in 2027.