'Tiranga tells me I'm with all of you': Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's first words after Axiom-4 launch

After the success of the Axiom-4 mission, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla released his first message on Wednesday. Group Captain Shukla, the designated pilot for the Axiom-4 mission, said that India is back in space again after 41 years. 

He added that the mission is not only the start of his journey to the International Space Station but also the beginning of India's space program. Before Shukla, the first Indian to go to space was Rakesh Sharma in 1984. 

Shubhanshu Shukla's full address to countrymen 

Namaskar, my dear countrymen! What a ride! We are back in the space once again after 41 years. It's an amazing ride. We are revolving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second. The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you. This journey of mine is not a beginning to the International Space Station (ISS) but to India's Human Space Programme. I want all of you to be part of this journey. Your chest, too, should swell with pride...Together, let's initiate India's Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!

The 39-year-old Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot will conduct a total of 7 experiments for India, including those related to muscle regeneration, plant biology, microalgae growth, and human-computer interaction in microgravity.

The astronauts will also study the growth of green gram (moong) and fenugreek (methi) seeds in space. Another experiment that India will conduct is aimed at understanding how tardigrades (water bears) survive in space. 

The Axiom-4 mission is a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, and it "realised the return" to human spaceflight for India, Poland and Hungary. Group Captain Shukla is serving as pilot alongside former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight mission at Axiom Space, Peggy Whitson.

Whitson is commanding the mission, whereas European Space Agency project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu are serving as mission specialists.