Shubhanshu Shukla at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday (Screengrab ANI)

Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Saturday said that India was in its “golden period” of space exploration.Speaking at Bharat Mandapam on National Space Day celebrations organised by Isro, Shukla said the celebration itself reflected how far India has come. “Two years ago we did not have this day. Within one year, we have created immense excitement,” he said. Looking ahead, he pointed to India’s upcoming space ambitions, the Gaganyaan Mission, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, and eventually, landing on the moon.He said he was excited about India’s future space endeavors and that the excitement wasn’t limited to India, but agencies in Japan and Europe were also closely following India’s plans and even asked him to invite them to join future missions launched from Indian soil. “The Japanese and European space agencies are much more excited about our mission. They even made me sign a note that whenever we fly, we must invite them. They want to fly in our vehicle from Indian soil,” Shukla said.Shukla told students seated among audience that India’s space journey could not move forward without them. Big ambitions would need not just technology but also the energy and imagination of young Indians. “What it requires is all the kids seated here to be excited. We need you… To achieve such big and bold ambitions that we have, we need the resources of the entire nation,”he said, urging the next generation to stay excited and see themselves as part of the mission. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the nation on the occasion, praising Indian scientists, space startups and Shukla himself, who earlier this month hoisted the tricolour aboard the International Space Station. “He filled every Indian with pride… I have seen in him the immense courage and infinite dreams of the youth of new India,” PM Modi said, while also inviting young Indians to join a new astronaut pool being prepared for future missions.The National Space Day event at Bharat Mandapam was also attended by Union science and technology minister Jitendra Singh and Isro Chairman V Narayanan.