As Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares for his landmark journey aboard the Axiom-4 Mission (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), speculation is rife: Will he make a historic phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from space, echoing iconic moments in space history?
He indicated that there is an interaction with a VIP and with students, educators and academia. However, he did not name the VIP.
Shukla, set to launch on June 10, will become only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma and the first to visit the ISS.
This mission not only marks India’s return to human spaceflight after more than four decades but also rekindles memories of legendary conversations between astronauts and national leaders.
WHEN RAKESH SHARMA SPOKE TO PM INDIRA GANDHI
The precedent for a phone call from space was set in 1984, when Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, spoke directly with then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during his mission aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11.
In a now-legendary exchange, Gandhi asked Sharma how India looked from space, to which he famously replied, “Saare Jahan Se Achha” (better than the entire world).
This conversation became a defining moment in Indian space history, inspiring generations and symbolizing national pride.
Rakesh Sharma later recalled, jokingly, that the phone call was easy as he was unable to see Indira Gandhi and it was radio based, which helped calm his nerves when talking to the prime minister.
Globally, one of the most memorable space-to-Earth calls occurred on July 20, 1969, when US President Richard Nixon spoke to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as they stood on the moon’s surface.
Nixon’s words, delivered from the White House to the Sea of Tranquility, were broadcast to millions: “This certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made from the White House”.
The call, spanning nearly 240,000 miles, was all about the unifying power of space exploration and technological achievement at a time when the US and Russia were engaged in the Cold War.
WILL HISTORY REPEAT?
While there is no official confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office yet of a scheduled call between Shukla and PM Modi, the symbolic significance would be immense.
Such a conversation would not only celebrate India’s technological progress but also inspire a new generation, much like the exchanges with Indira Gandhi and Richard Nixon did decades ago.
PM Modi had earlier sent a letter to astronaut Sunita Williams, whose eight-day mission extended to eight months aboard the Space Station. “Even though you are thousands of miles away, you remain close to our hearts,” reflecting the pride of 1.4 billion Indians,” the letter read.