From classroom to cosmos: Shubhanshu Shukla’s wife looks back & ahead

“It was in the beginning of 2020,” she recalled, when it first felt real that Shukla might actually go to space. “One of the criteria for Gaganyaan aspirants was that they had to be test pilots. It’s such a small community that we were elated, because whoever it may be, he would be known to us. That small idea has become an incredible reality now.”At home, Shux is a man of routine and quiet resolve. “He loves his workouts, non-fiction books, to goof around with his six-year-old son. But when you talk about his fearlessness, he’s taken immense risks. He left his life as a fighter pilot and stepped into the uncharted world of spaceflight. From making decisions in microseconds to doing delicate experiments in micrograms—it’s a complete shift,” she said.Her favourite image of him, though, is less about space and more about spirit. “There’s a never-say-never attitude in him that’s very special. You’ll often find him quoting Dory from Finding Nemo—just keep swimming. There may be a fire anywhere, but he focuses on solutions. That’s his forte.”

Of the rest of the Ax-4 crew, Kamna said they are now more than colleagues. “They call themselves friends for life. Their experience in microgravity will bind them forever. I’m so glad Shux found these friends—and all of them adore our son Sid.”Kamna and Shukla first met in primary school. “We’ve studied together since Class 3. We’ve been best friends. I’ve known him as Gunjan, as Shubhanshu—the shy guy in our classroom—who’s now inspiring so many people.”But being married to someone on this path means living with distance and missed milestones. “These things do get overwhelming, especially Shux missing Sid’s early childhood. He finds that deeply painful,” she admitted. “But he’s incredibly focused, like Arjuna [from Mahabharat]—he only sees the target.”Her way of coping has been to embrace anticipation over anxiety: “You can either be overwhelmed or be excited. We chose excitement. Nothing worthwhile comes without risk. With challenge comes glory—that’s the mindset.”

Sid is still too young to fully grasp what’s unfolding. “It’s all just exciting for him. He thinks everyone’s father is an astronaut. When we visited Nasa, he was thrilled to see rockets and suits. But when asked what he liked most, he said, ‘deers in Nasa’s park are very nice’. That’s his comprehension for now. I’m sure when he grows up, he’ll be super proud.”Asked how she’d want Sid to remember this time, Kamna said: “I’d tell him his father was the chosen one. Lucky to represent his beautiful country and its 1.4 billion people. Fortune favours the brave, and Shux is the bravest person I know. He left his love for flying to enter an unknown territory. He reaches for the stars—and yet, he remains grounded.”Back home, they know this is only the beginning. “He has immense responsibility. The Axiom mission is a stepping stone for India’s Gaganyaan programme. Whatever he learns will help the country. He’ll be quite busy once he returns.”But first, the launch. And for Kamna, it’s like every other take-off in a fighter pilot’s life. “I never attended his take-offs. Out of sight, out of mind—that’s how I cope. I haven’t thought about the launch day. We go with the flow. We’re filled with gratitude. We’ll take it as it comes.”