India’s space pride, Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla, returned to a hero’s welcome after successfully hoisting the Indian tricolor aboard the International Space Station (ISS). However, the planned celebration of his achievement in Parliament was marred by political chaos. On August 18, the Lok Sabha session was expected to honor Shukla’s historic space journey. Instead, opposition protests and loud disruptions led to repeated adjournments, cutting short the recognition he deserved. Despite a passionate appeal by the Lok Sabha Speaker and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, opposition MPs refused to participate, raising slogans instead of celebrating national pride. Earlier in the day, Subhanshu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared his experiences from space. Their discussion also touched on India’s ambitious Gaganyaan mission, where Shukla is expected to play a key role again. While the Parliament failed to acknowledge his achievement, leaders like Shashi Tharoor praised Shukla on social media, calling the moment a milestone for India in space. With ₹548 crore invested in the mission, Shukla’s success has made every Indian proud. As political noise threatens to overshadow national accomplishments, the hope remains that India’s space journey continues to rise above party lines.


