Saralnama
On August 24, 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitated the four Gaganyatris—Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, and Group Captain Angad Pratap—at an event hosted by the Indian Air Force at Subroto Park, Delhi. Singh praised them as 'gems' and highlighted the Gaganyaan mission as a new chapter in India's Atmanirbhar Bharat journey. Shubhanshu Shukla recently returned from the successful NASA Axiom 4 mission, becoming the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station. The Gaganyaan project, announced in 2018, aims to send a three-member crewed flight into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission by 2027. The astronauts' names were first revealed in February 2024 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. The felicitation ceremony was attended by senior defence officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff and Air Force Chief, who lauded the astronauts' exemplary temperament and contribution to India's space ambitions. (Updated 24 Aug 2025, 14:13 IST; source: link)