Shubhanshu Shukla instructional {qualifications}: From NDA cadet to astronaut, charting a course to the celebs
On a quiet night time in Lucknow, a younger boy regarded up on the sky, mesmerised by its vastness. The yr was 1999, and as information of the Kargil Conflict stuffed Indian tv screens, he listened intently, captivated by the tales of braveness from the frontlines. However for him, the battle wasn’t simply on the mountains—it was additionally above, within the skies the place fighter jets roared by way of the clouds.
That boy, Shubhanshu Shukla, would develop as much as chase these very skies. Not simply as a fighter pilot within the Indian Air Drive (IAF) however as an astronaut, getting ready to step past Earth’s ambiance.
Now, at 39, he’s getting ready to historical past—set to change into the second Indian to journey to house after Rakesh Sharma. As India’s chosen astronaut for the Gaganyaan programme and mission pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), he stands on the forefront of India’s house ambitions. However his journey, like all nice ones, was something however atypical.
The Making of an Astronaut: A Childhood Rooted in Self-discipline
Born on 10 October 1985, Shukla was the youngest of three siblings, rising up in a house the place self-discipline and ambition had been valued. He studied at Metropolis Montessori College, Aliganj, and graduated in 2001, lengthy earlier than India had critical plans for human spaceflight.
His love for aviation discovered construction on the Nationwide Defence Academy (NDA), the place he was chosen in 2003. The rigorous coaching at NDA did greater than put together him for the navy—it instilled the resilience and strategic considering that may later outline his profession. After NDA, he pursued specialised coaching in aviation, setting himself on a course towards the Indian Air Drive.
Life at Mach Velocity: The Fighter Pilot Years
In June 2006, Shukla earned his fee into the IAF’s fighter stream, the place he discovered himself on the controls of a few of the nation’s most formidable jets—MiG-21, MiG-29, Su-30 MKI, Dornier, and Hawk.
His flying hours added up—over 2,000 hours throughout totally different plane, every mission sharpening his potential to deal with high-pressure conditions. By 2019, he was promoted to Wing Commander, a rank that recognised not simply his flying abilities however his management.
That very same yr, India launched its seek for astronauts below the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. Shukla’s navy file, psychological endurance, and fight expertise made him a primary contender. Out of 1000’s, he was chosen.
A Crash Course in House: Coaching in Russia and India
Being an ace pilot was one factor. Being an astronaut was one other. Shukla was despatched to Russia’s Gagarin Cosmonaut Coaching Centre in 2021, the place he skilled for the extremes of spaceflight—zero gravity, emergency protocols, spacecraft operations, and high-G drive simulations.
As soon as again in India, his coaching continued at ISRO’s Astronaut Coaching Facility in Bengaluru. The exams had been relentless, designed to push each restrict, however Shukla thrived. And on 27 February 2024, his title was formally introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as certainly one of 4 astronauts chosen for Gaganyaan.
Axiom Mission 4: A Step Earlier than Gaganyaan
Even earlier than Gaganyaan, Shukla was handed one other milestone. In August 2024, ISRO introduced that he would function mission pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4)—a personal spaceflight mission to the Worldwide House Station (ISS), in partnership with NASA and Axiom House.
In 2025, he’ll board a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft alongside:
- Commander Peggy Whitson (United States)
- Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański (Poland)
- Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary)
Notably, his fellow Gaganyaan astronaut Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair has been named the backup pilot for Ax-4. For the primary time, an Indian astronaut will step aboard the ISS—a second that cements India’s rising function in international house exploration.
An Indian in Orbit: What Awaits Shukla in House?
As mission pilot, Shukla will oversee:
- Navigation and docking of the spacecraft
- Scientific experiments aboard the ISS
- Important operations for crew security
This mission isn’t only a private milestone—it’s a strategic second for India’s house programme. It indicators a transfer from satellite tv for pc launches to human spaceflight, strengthening India’s house diplomacy.
However for Shukla, it’s one thing much more profound—a fulfilment of the goals that took flight in his childhood, when he first regarded up on the stars from Lucknow.
What Comes Subsequent?
After Ax-4, Shukla will put together for Gaganyaan, a mission that may make India the fourth nation on this planet to ship people to house by itself spacecraft. His journey—from fighter pilot to astronaut, from India to the ISS—is simply starting.
For a rustic that when watched Rakesh Sharma’s historic spaceflight in 1984, Shubhanshu Shukla represents the subsequent period of Indian house exploration. This time, India isn’t simply watching the house race—it’s competing in it.
