Shubhanshu Shukla Didn’t Just Carry India’s Flag to Space, He Took These Desserts Too!

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Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has officially become the first Indian to board the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission. In doing so, he follows in the legacy of Rakesh Sharma, but with a unique and heartfelt gesture that's making headlines back on Earth

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/thebharatsquad/

During a special call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shukla shared a moment that connected millions of Indians to space in the most unexpected way:

"I brought food items like Gajar ka Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, and Aam Ras with me to space," he said, adding warmly, "so my international crewmates could savour the rich flavours of Indian tradition." Yes, India didn't just launch a mission. It shared a meal.

"You Are Closest to the Hearts of Indians": PM Modi

The Prime Minister expressed his pride, telling Shukla:

"Today, you are away from our motherland, but you are the closest to the hearts of Indians... Aapke naam mein bhi shubh hai, aur aapki yatra naye yug ka shubharambh bhi hai."

In response, Shukla reflected on the view that few have ever experienced:

"When I saw India for the first time from space, it appeared much larger and grander than on the map," he said.

And then, in words that moved the conversation beyond borders:

"You can truly feel the sense of oneness-there are no borders, no lines. It feels as if this entire Earth is our home and we are all its citizens."

Modi gently reminded him of India's ancient cultural connection to such journeys:

"Parikrama is a centuries-old tradition in India. You have had the fortune of circumambulating Mother Earth."

In that moment, a modern spaceflight met with timeless Indian philosophy-science and soul in sync.

A Shared Table In Space

The Axiom-4 mission is an international collaboration. Alongside Shukla are:

• Peggy Whitson (USA), Mission Commander
• Sawosz Uznanski (Poland), Mission Specialist
• Tibor Kapu (Hungary), Mission Specialist

By offering home-cooked Indian sweets to his fellow astronauts, Shukla transformed a high-tech space module into something resembling a shared family table.

Recipes That Travelled To The Stars

These aren't just recipes. They're the taste of home, memory, and identity, all packed into containers that floated hundreds of kilometres above Earth. Here's how you can recreate the exact dishes Shukla carried to space.

Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Pudding)

Rich, slow-cooked, and full of love.

Ingredients

• 1 kg carrots (grated)
• 1 litre full-fat milk
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 4-5 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
• 5-6 cardamom pods, crushed
• Chopped nuts and raisins

Photo Credit: Pexels

How To Prepare

• Cook grated carrots and milk over medium heat until milk reduces.
• Add sugar and stir well.
• Fry nuts in ghee separately, then add to the mix with cardamom.
• Cook till halwa thickens and ghee separates. Serve warm.

Aam Ras (Mango Purée)

Simple, golden, and soul-satisfying.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe Alphonso or Kesar mangoes
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• A pinch of cardamom
• Saffron strands (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp milk or water to adjust texture

Photo Credit: Pinterest@foodviva

How To Prepare

• Peel, chop, and blend the mangoes.
• Add sugar, cardamom, saffron. Blend again.
• Chill and serve-pure mango magic in every spoon.

Moong Dal Halwa (Lentil Dessert)

A festive classic, rich with ghee and patience.

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow moong dal (soaked 4-5 hours)
• ¾ cup ghee
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk + ½ cup water
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• Chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios

Photo Credit: Pinterest@GastronomicBong

How To Prepare

• Grind soaked dal into a coarse paste.
• Roast it in ghee on low flame for 25-30 mins until golden and aromatic.
• Separately, boil milk, water, and sugar.
• Slowly pour it into the roasted dal. Stir continuously.
• Cook until thick and glossy. Add cardamom and nuts. Serve hot.

What Shukla's Gesture Means

More than showcasing India, it was all about sharing India-the way we all do when we send a food parcel, offer someone sweets, or insist on that extra serving of halwa.

In space, surrounded by silence, vacuum, and machinery, one Indian pilot carried warmth, memory, and meaning and offered it to a global team.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made space feel a little more like home. And in doing so, reminded us that whether you're on Earth or in orbit-a spoonful of halwa can still say, "This is who I am."

Jai Hind. Jai Vigyaan. Jai Swaad.