Shubhanshu Shukla accorded hero's welcome on return to India; Parliament plans special discussion on successful space mission tomorrow

New Delhi, Aug 17 As the Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was given a grand welcome as he arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi in early hours of Sunday, the Lok Sabha will hold a special discussion on India's space journey and Shukla's historic mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), according to a notice issued by the Lower House.

The House will debate on "India's first astronaut aboard the ISS –– critical role of space programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047", a subject that can possibly end the deadlock in Parliament to hail India's new milestone in space journey.

Shukla landed in New Delhi following his two-week long mission aboard the ISS in June-July, where he was received by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh as well as several citizens of the country who hailed his return to the country after completing a successful space mission stint.

The discussion has been scheduled amid the Opposition's efforts to raise the issue of alleged manipulation of voter lists and the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

In June, Shukla became the second Indian to go to space –– after IAF wing commander Rakesh Sharma –– as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS.

He returned to Earth on July 16.

Alongside Shukla, the Ax-4 mission marked the return to human spaceflight programme for India, Poland and Hungary in more than four decades.

Representing the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Shukla's return with all the learnings and experience from the Ax-4 mission is an important step for the Gaganyaan mission and setting up the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (the Indian Space Station).

In her address to the nation on the eve of the Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu mentioned Shukla's feat and said, "I am sure that Shubhanshu Shukla's space journey to the International Space Station has fired a whole generation to dream bigger. It will prove extremely helpful for India's upcoming human space flight program, ‘Gaganyaan’."

The Department of Space described Shukla's mission as one of "strategic importance" and India's resolve to emerge as a serious contender in human space exploration.

During his address on the 79th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Shukla's historic visit.

"Every citizen of the country is seeing the wonders of the space sector and is filled with pride. And our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. He is also coming to India in a few days. We are also preparing for Aatmanirbhar Bharat Gaganyaan on our own in space. We are working towards building our own space station on our own," he said.

--IANS

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