Updated: July 15, 2025 18:00 IST 6 min read — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 15, 2025 She added that even after the launch, she could not stop worrying about him, wondering if he was eating properly, getting enough rest, and staying safe, even though Shubhanshu was strictly following the instructions given by the authorities. Moreover, during a conversation from space, he assured them that he was doing well. “As a mother, these thoughts kept coming to my mind no matter what,” she said. The family said that on Monday, when the Axiom-4 crew separated from the ISS, they were filled with anxiety and turned to prayer, hoping everything would go smoothly. “We were silently praying as the spacecraft detached. There was tension, but we kept our faith and hoped for the best,” said Shubhanshu’s father Shambhu Dayal Shukla, a retired government official. Story continues below this ad “When we finally heard that everything was fine, we felt a wave of relief. We are proud that he completed the mission safely. Now, we are just waiting for him to return home; only then will we truly feel at peace,” said the father, adding that he had received a call from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who congratulated him. #WATCH | Lucknow, UP | Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Axiom-4 crew assisted out of the Dragon Spacecraft onto the recovery vehicle, after their return to earth from the International Space Station 18 days later. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, says, “Now we want to meet… pic.twitter.com/4x5qbe6TJe