After completing a historic 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned to Earth and to his family’s warm embrace. Shukla, who became the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma, shared a series of emotional reunion photos on Instagram. The touching images, showing him embracing his wife and young son, have resonated deeply with audiences across the country. “Felt like home,” he wrote, capturing the joy and vulnerability of finally holding his loved ones after weeks of isolation.

Shubhanshu Shukla’s historic return from International Space Station

Shukla returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule on July 15, marking the end of India’s first crewed mission to the ISS. Affectionately nicknamed “Shux” by his international crewmates, he had been in quarantine for several weeks before and after the mission, keeping him apart from his wife and four-year-old son. Despite limited, distanced visits during quarantine, Shukla described how his son had to be told not to touch him due to “germs on his hands.” Once reunited, however, the young boy ran into his father’s arms while his wife, Kamna, hugged him tightly through tears.

‘Space is magical, but so is love’: Shukla’s message touches millions

The photos, posted to Shukla’s Instagram handle, show candid moments of pure joy, with one caption reading, “Space flight is amazing, but seeing your loved ones after a long time is equally amazing.” His heartfelt message urged people to reconnect with loved ones, reminding followers not to let life’s pace overshadow the importance of human connection. “Find a loved one today and tell them that you love them,” he wrote. As India celebrates his trailblazing mission, it is this emotional return that has captured the nation’s heart, showing that the most powerful moments sometimes happen not in space, but back on Earth.