A Mix of Excitement & Anxiousness

HOURS BEFORE HE became only the second Indian to go to space, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla had a brief conversation with his parents, who, like any parent on their child's big day, were a mix of excitement and anxiousness.

- MANISH SAHU

His father, Shambhu, and mother, Asha, woke up around 2:30 am, counting down the hours until liftoff. "We spoke to Shubhanshu around 4:00 am, and he said, 'Papa kar ke aata hoon. Aap chinta na karo' (Papa, I'll go and get it done. You don't worry)