Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) [India], July 16 (ANI): The President of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, hailed the safe return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the Axiom-4 space mission, calling it a proud and historic moment for India.

While speaking to ANI, Swami Chidanand celebrated the pilot's achievement, saying, 'Today is a very glorious day for us... This was not just a space mission but a jump for the self-confidence of India. This time, Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla went as a pilot; next time, he will go as the commander in the Gaganyaan mission...'

'Under the leadership of PM Modi, the youth of our nation will move forward... Today's Ganga aarti is also dedicated to Group Captain Subhanshu and to every youth who wants to take the dreams of the nation above the sky,' he added.

He praised PM Modi's deep connection with India's youth, saying, 'Even though he is seventy-five years old, his heart is still young and in the coming times, he will continue to beat with every soldier of the country in the same way, his heart will continue to beat forward.'

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla upon his return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS), saying that he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication.

Meanwhile, the Dragon spacecraft piloted by Group Captain Shukla splashed down with grace, completing its mission after 18 days on the ISS. Waving to the camera, a smiling 'Shux' egressed from the Dragon spacecraft which he had piloted.

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft 'Grace' successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, marking the safe return of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew, including pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS).

The splashdown, confirmed by SpaceX, concludes a nearly 19-day mission aboard the ISS, fulfilling a significant milestone in Indo-US space cooperation.

Axiom Mission 4 was launched on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 pm IST, ahead of schedule, connecting to the space-facing port of the station's Harmony module. (ANI)