Lucknow, June 26 (IANS) As IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history by becoming the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS), his schoolteachers in Lucknow are beaming with pride, and are fondly remembering the quiet, focused boy who once walked their school corridors and shared memories of his early years, as they prayed for his safety and success in space.

Shukla, who launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft named ‘Grace’ as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), became the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma, who flew to space in 1984.

The spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS’s Harmony module at 6:31 a.m. ET (4:00 p.m. IST) today, marking a milestone for India’s space journey.

IANS spoke to several of Shukla’s primary school teachers who could barely contain their pride and admiration.

Sunita Pandey, one of Shukla’s teachers, recalled: “I used to interact with him quite often. He was very focused and disciplined. While going to space may not have been his initial dream, I believe it developed during his time at the NDA. He was also very good at football. I’m proud to see how far he’s come.”

Sweta Saxena, who taught him in his formative years, said that he was always in the top 10 of his class, while Science was his favourite subject, which is why he chose Physics, Chemistry, and Maths (PCM) for Class 12.

“He was focused on both studies and sports. I truly wish him continued success.”

Archana Agarwal, who taught Shubhanshu from Classes 6 to 8, remembered him as an introverted yet highly creative student.

“He was a dreamer and a disciplined child. Sports really excited him. It’s amazing to see that someone like him has made it to space. I’m extremely proud.”

Aparna, another teacher, shared: “He was an all-rounder in primary school – very shy, yet he participated in everything. He visited the school last year after being selected for the Axiom mission. We even discussed strategies to improve teaching. I’m overwhelmed to see him reach the stars.”

Born in Lucknow, Shukla launched into space at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12:00 noon IST) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, aboard the Falcon 9 rocket.

The Ax-4 crew comprises Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India), and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

India now celebrates not just the success of an astronaut, but the inspiring story of a small-town boy whose schoolteachers always knew he was destined for something extraordinary.

–IANS

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