IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Says Earth, Not Nationality, Defines Identity in Space

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi: IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), shared profound insights on the experience of being in space, highlighting the transformative perspective it offers on identity and humanity.

Speaking on Friday, Shukla said, “When one leaves the planet to be in space, individual identities blur and the entire Earth becomes one’s identity.” He emphasized that in the vastness of space, distinctions such as nationality become secondary, and the shared existence of humanity takes precedence.

Shukla’s reflections come after his historic mission to the ISS, which not only marked a significant achievement for India in space exploration but also provided a unique vantage point to understand the planet and the interconnectedness of its people.