Honouring the pride of India, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday felicitated Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. In a moment of national pride, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also honoured other Gaganyatris – Group Captain P V Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, and Group Captain Angad Pratap – at a grand ceremony in Delhi.

Rajnath Singh, while praising their contribution during rigorous training and operations, hailed them as the pride of India, embodying the nation`s soaring ambitions in space exploration.

The Union Defence Minister, while praising the Gaganyatris, also said. "The temperament shown by all of you during the training was not only impressive in itself, but I would say excellent... I am really feeling proud to welcome and congratulate the son of Mother India, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, and his other colleagues, Group Captain P V Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan and Group Captain Angad Pratap. All the countrymen are proud of you all. And they are proud because you all have made the countrymen proud," as cited by news agency ANI.