Opposition skips Parliament discussion on Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla; Tharoor lauds his achievements

As the Opposition skipped the special discussion on India’s first Astronaut aboard the International Space Station – Critical Role of Space programme for ‘Viksit Bharat By 2047’, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday penned an admiring note for Captain Subhanshu Shukla, who returned home after completing his space mission.

Responding to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s announcement of the Parliament discussion to honour Shukla, Tharoor said, “Since the Opposition is not participating in the special discussion, let me say how proud all Indians are of the recent mission of Commander Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS). It served as a stepping stone to our nation’s own human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan.”

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The Congress MP noted that Shukla’s mission would provide ISRO invaluable hands-on experience and data that cannot be replicated in simulations.

“His first-hand observations on pre-launch procedures, spacecraft systems, and the psychological and physiological effects of microgravity are crucial for de-risking and refining the Gaganyaan mission,” the Congress leader wrote on X.

He continued, “The mission allowed for the testing of Indian systems & protocols in a real-life space environment. The numerous scientific experiments, including studies on human health in space and plant growth, provide technological @ scientific validation which will directly help design the life-support and medical systems for Gaganyaan.”

Tharoor asserted that Shukla’s mission reinforced India’s role in global space diplomacy and demonstrated India’s willingness and capability to engage in multilateral space efforts.

“Commander Shukla’s historic flight serves as a powerful symbol of India’s ambitions in human spaceflight. It has captured the nation’s imagination, inspiring a new generation to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, maths & space studies — all essential for sustaining India’s long-term space goals. Well done!,” he added.

Astronaut Group Captain (IAF) Shubhanshu Shukla arrived at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in the national capital to a rousing welcome on Sunday.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan, along with others, received him at the airport on his return to the country after his historic journey from space.

Shukla, after concluding his historic journey to the International Space Station (ISS), returned to the planet in July. He is the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma, who went on a space mission in 1984.

Shukla’s mission, where he represented the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and the learning from the same will contribute to the country’s future space research and missions.