Sansad TV

Perspective: Critical Role of Space Programme for Viksit Bharat | 20 August, 2025

Sansad Tv

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla – the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station – returned to India earlier this week to a rousing welcome. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who welcomed him warmly. In their interaction, the astronaut shared his experiences of journeying aboard the International Space Station as part of the Axiom-4 mission—from adjusting to microgravity conditions to carrying out critical experiments on the orbital lab.He also showed the Prime Minister breathtaking photographs of Earth, including images of India captured from space. Group Captain Shukla conveyed to the PM that there is tremendous global interest in India’s Gaganyaan Mission, with scientists across the world keen to be part of it. To honour him, the Lok Sabha on Monday held a special discussion titled “India’s First Astronaut Aboard the International Space Station – Critical Role of Space Programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047.” Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla congratulated Group Captain Shukla, calling him an inspiration for India’s youth. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who holds the Science & Technology and Space portfolios, praised the experiments conducted by Shukla aboard the ISS. He said these space experiments personify India as Vishwabandhu Bharat—because though performed by an Indian using indigenous kits, their benefits will serve all of humanity. Most of the experiments focused on life sciences and plant physiology. Dr. Singh also traced the arc of India’s space journey – from the first sparks of human spaceflight ambitions, to present-day collaborations with NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX. He expressed confidence that well before 2047, a young Indian will proclaim from the surface of the Moon the arrival of a Viksit Bharat.

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