Shubhanshu Shukla plays Shah Rukh Khan’s 'Swades' song during historic Axiom-4 space mission launch

Quick highlights

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the second Indian in space and the first on a commercial mission.
• Chose Yun Hi Chala Chal Rahi from Swades for his launch playlist.
• Lift-off occurred from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX Falcon 9.
• Shukla shared a heartfelt message in Hindi after entering orbit.

India’s newest astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, gave his historic spaceflight a desi soundtrack. The fighter pilot, who launched into orbit as part of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, chose Yun Hi Chala Chal Rahi from the Shah Rukh Khan film Swades for his official launch day playlist, a personal pick that struck an emotional chord with many.

Shukla became the second Indian to fly to space after Rakesh Sharma and the first to do so via a private mission, lifting off aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

SRK's Swades track adds emotional punch to space journey

The track, composed by AR Rahman with lyrics by Javed Akhtar, is known for its uplifting message about perseverance and self-discovery. In Swades, Shah Rukh Khan plays a NASA scientist who returns to rural India, a journey mirrored symbolically in Shukla’s own.

SpaceX shared the launch day playlists of all four astronauts on X. Shukla’s Indian pick stood out among other selections like Imagine Dragons’ Thunder by Commander Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznański’s Supermoce, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu’s Búvóhely.

Crew members of Axiom Mission 4 preparing for lift-off aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9Getty Images

After the successful launch, Shukla addressed the nation in Hindi, calling it a “kamaal ki ride,” and spoke of the pride he felt wearing the Tricolour. “This journey is not just mine,” he said. “It’s the beginning of India’s human spaceflight programme.”

Axiom-4 launch triggers national celebration and school pride

Back in Lucknow, Shukla’s alma mater, City Montessori School, hosted a live watch party called ‘Vyomotsav’, attended by his family and hundreds of students. The school recreated a mini space centre experience complete with space exhibits and a simulated mission control.

Shubhanshu Shukla greeted Indians from space calling it a kamaal ki rideGetty Images

The Ax-4 crew is set to spend around two weeks aboard the International Space Station conducting research, outreach, and commercial activities. This is Axiom’s fourth private astronaut mission and includes astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, all flying to the ISS for the first time.