'Inspired a billion dreams': PM Modi welcomes astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on his return to Earth

The Prime Minister wrote on X, "I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to Space.

"As India’s first astronaut to have visited International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit. It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission - Gaganyaan."

Shukla and his fellow crew members returned to Earth after a 22-hour journey since they undocked from the ISS on Monday.

In his farewell speech, Shukla referred to the words of Rakesh Sharma and said India still looked 'sare jahan se accha' (the best place in the world) from space.

It has been an incredible journey," he said in his farewell speech.

"I did not imagine all this when I started on Falcon 9 on June 25," he said.

Praising his ISS colleague, Shukla said, "It has been made incredible because of all the people involved. It was an incredible joy to be here."

"Looking back on his journey, Shukla said: "Over the past 2.5 weeks, we have done a lot of science on the station. We have done outreach activities and looked back at the Earth whenever we found time. It also seems magical to me."

Referring to the words of Rakesh Sharma, India's first astronaut to visit space, Shukla said: "41 years ago, an Indian went to space and said how India looks from space."

"We will like to know how India looks from space now. India looks ambitious,  fearless, confident and proud from space today.""India still looks 'sare Jahan se accha' from space," he said.

Axiom 4 or Mission 'Akash Ganga' is the first firm step for India's Gaganyaan human space flight mission.