The Lok Sabha will convene a special discussion on Monday to honor Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who made history as the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) following his safe return on Sunday. This session is expected to spotlight the vital role of India’s space program in advancing the vision of a “Viksit Bharat by 2047.”

Shukla’s mission aboard the Axiom-4 commercial flight was a landmark moment—it ended a decades-long absence of an Indian presence at the ISS and underscored India’s growing footprint in human spaceflight initiatives.

This parliamentary tribute not only commemorates Shukla’s personal achievement but also serves as a launchpad for broader discourse on Gaganyaan, the nation’s own human spaceflight effort, and the long-term goal of establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

Amid ongoing parliamentary gridlock over electoral reforms, this space-focused discussion offers a consensus-building opportunity bringing lawmakers together around a moment of scientific pride and national unity. As India charts its journey toward the stars, this session reinforces how individual milestones like Shukla’s can galvanize collective inspiration and ambition.