PilotGroup Captain Shubhanshu Shukla , a distinguished pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), has been handpicked as one of the four astronauts for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) historic Gaganyaan mission — the nation’s inaugural human space flight endeavor. Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, Shukla possesses fluency in both English and his native Hindi. His journey began when he was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in June 2006. As a ... Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force test pilot and one of the four astronaut designates who will fly to space as part of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. A native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, he represents India's ambitious space exploration goals. Inspired by the 1999 Kargil War, Shukla independently applied for and cleared the UPSC NDA examination. He completed his military training and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the National ... Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla , the first Indian at the ISS, discusses India's progress towards the Gaganyaan mission. He highlights the significance of human spaceflight, the impact on education and research, and India's goal of landing an astronaut on the moon by 2040. After flying fighter jets ... Shubhanshu Shukla is a group captain and test pilot with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and gaganyatri ( astronaut ) with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In July 2025 Shukla became the first ISRO astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) while participating in Axiom Mission 4, a privately organised spaceflight.
