UP CM Yogi Adityanath Felicitates IAF Group Captain & Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla - VIDEO

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday felicitated IAF Group Captain & astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), at his official residence in Lucknow. Shukla's wife and son were also present on the occasion. CM Yogi gifted the astronaut a silver Ganesha idol and presented a saree to his wife.

Speaking about his experience after meeting CM Yogi, he said: "I am happy to see the excitement created by my mission. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to reach space. The Indian Government and UP Government’s efforts to promote astronomy education through the establishment of Astro Labs in primary schools are commendable."

"We have many more ambitious goals planned for the future, and we are committed to making them a reality," he added.

Earlier in the day, Shukla visited his alma mater, City Montessori School in Lucknow. Students welcomed Group Captain Shukla to his hometown in Lucknow by waving the tricolour. Shukla interacted with students and also shared his experience of returning from space. "This morning, I was quite tired, but then I saw you all standing on the streets since 7:30 AM, excited and full of energy. Seeing you all, drenched in sweat and smiling, erased all my fatigue. To succeed, one only needs determination. I believe the future is incredibly bright. We are in the right place, at the right time, with the right opportunities," he said in his speech.

Meeting With PM Modi

On August 18 he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence. Shukla was greeted with a hug as the two walked together with the Prime Minister's arm on the astronaut’s shoulder.

Shukla, who returned to Earth on July 15 after completing NASA's Axiom-4 (AX-4) space mission, landed in Delhi on August 17.