Shubhanshu Shukla is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Air Force (IAF). In 2024, he made headlines when he became one of the astronauts on Gaganyaan, the first manned space mission of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
Wiki/Biography
Shubhanshu Shukla aka Shubanshu Shukla was born on Thursday, October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India (age 38; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Libra. His father came to Lucknow from Sandila in Hardoi in 1973 and settled in Triveni Nagar area of Lucknow in 1980. He received his education from Urban Montessori School, Aliganj, Lucknow and passed 12th standard in 2001. He passed the National Defense Academy (NDA) 2002 entrance exam; interestingly, he changed his mind after borrowing the exam form from a friend. Later he joined the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Photo showing details of Shubhanshu Shukla while appearing for NDA exam
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′10″
Weight (approximately): 70kg
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
His father Shambhu Dayal Shukla is a retired secretary to the Uttar Pradesh minister and his mother Asha Shukla is a housewife.
Shubangshu Shukla’s parents
He has two sisters, Nidhi Shukla, who has an MBA, and Shuchi Mishra, a teacher at Tender Hearts School in Lucknow.
Shuchi Mishra, sister of Shubhanshu Shukla
wife and children
His wife Kamna Shubha Shukla is a dentist from Jankipuram, Lucknow; her father’s name is Braja Mohan Misra. The couple had a son in 2020.
Shubhanshu Shukla with his parents, wife and son (right to left)
Religion/Religious Views
He was agnostic, but he believed in horoscopes.
Profession
Indian Air Force (IAF)
He is a member of Course 177 and commissioned in the Fighter Wing of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 17 June 2006; his service number and branch is 29014 F(P). He is a fighter operations leader and a test pilot with approximately 2,000 hours of flying experience. He has flown different types of aircraft including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32. On June 17, 2019, he was promoted to wing commander.
Shubhanshu Shukla (second from left) while working in the Indian Air Force
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
In 2019, he was selected by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to receive training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow Region, Russia, and trained there for one year from February 2020 to March 2021.
Shubhanshu Shukla (site selection) during selection tests for India’s first manned space program ‘Gaganyaan’
Opinions from #Indian The astronauts’ training program while in Russia.
• Squadron Leader Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair • Squadron Leader Ajit Krishnan • Squadron Leader Angad Prathap • Lieutenant Colonel Shubhansku Shukla#gaganyanan #ISRO pic.twitter.com/833zX4nLJG
— ISRO InSight (@ISROSight) February 27, 2024
On February 27, 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded wings to Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronaut designates Gaganyaan, India’s first manned spacecraft The space program is scheduled to launch from 2024 to 2025.
Photo of wings given to Shubhanshu Shukla and other astronauts on Gaganyaan mission by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Shukla is an expert in spacecraft systems, space physiology and emergency procedures.
Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Prathap and Shubhanshu Shukla (left to right) are the four astronauts of Gaganyaan
As per the agreement between ISRO and Axiom Space Inc. in August 2024, Shukla was selected as the primary astronaut and Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair as the backup astronaut for the Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Facts/Trivia
- His father said in an interview that Shubhanshu had a very introverted personality. He didn’t tell them anything until he cleared the NDA exam and later became part of ISRO’s Gaganyaan programme. He never shared any details about his mission with them. In 2019, when he was on the Balakot strike (Operation Bandar), he had no contact with his family for several days.
- He enjoys reading books about space and learning different things about ever-evolving technologies.
- When he told his mother he was going to be an astronaut, she told him not to join any such program.
- His friends and family affectionately call him “Gunjan”.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education