Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and crew headed to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday. He lifted off from Nasa‘s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).This mission marks India’s return to space nearly 41 years after Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space. Follow live updates: Axiom 4 Mission Live Updates: ‘Dragon’s hatch is closed’; crew is ready for launchShukla, born in 1985, is an Indian Air Force pilot who grew up inspired by Sharma’s journey. Now, he is carrying not just scientific instruments but also some personal items close to his heart.While astronauts are usually advised to pack light, Shukla is taking specially-prepared Indian sweets with him. At a press conference, he revealed he will carry mango nectar, carrot halwa, and moong dal halwa into space. He said he plans to share these with his fellow astronauts aboard the ISS.

“There will be plenty of food to eat in space, but I will be carrying mango nectar, carrot halwa (gajar ka halwa) and moong dal halwa with me,” as BBC quoted him from press conference.

Also read: Mission with India’s Shubhanshu Shukla set to take-off today; check launch timeHe is also taking a secret souvenir for Rakesh Sharma, who he considers a mentor. “He has been advising me on many things, including how to prepare for this mission,” Shukla said. He did not reveal what the souvenir is, only saying it will be a surprise when he returns.Joining the Axiom-4 crew on the spacecraft is a small white toy swan named Joy. The swan will act as the mission’s zero-gravity indicator, floating once the capsule enters space. The crew chose it for its cultural significance. It symbolises wisdom and is the vehicle of Saraswati, the goddess of learning. In Poland, it represents purity and resilience, while in Hungary, it stands for loyalty and grace.The Ax-4 mission is being carried out by Axiom Space, a private company, in collaboration with Nasa, Isro, and the European Space Agency. The crew will fly aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule launched by a Falcon 9 rocket. The team includes commander Peggy Whitson from the US, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.Over the two-week mission, the astronauts will conduct around 60 scientific experiments, including seven designed by ISRO. Posters of Shukla have already come up in his hometown of Lucknow, as the country watches closely.As BBC quoted Shukla before liftoff, “I carry not just instruments and equipment, I carry hopes and dreams of a billion hearts.”