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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nShubhanshu Shukla<\/a>, India\u2019s first astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS), has marked 20 years since his commissioning into the Indian Air Force<\/a> (IAF). In a reflective post on social media, he looked back on his journey in uniform, describing it as \u2018a life well-lived.\u2019Group captain Shukla wrote in the post, \u201cTwenty years ago today, I pinned on my ranks, marched out of the Air Force Academy, and became a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force.\u201d He added, \u201cTwenty years. Somehow it feels like five. I think that\u2019s the quiet honesty of a life well-lived \u2014 the good years don\u2019t drag, they fly.\u201dShukla, who made history on June 26, 2025 as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS along with three other astronauts, returned to Earth on July 15 after completing the mission.He reflected on his career in the IAF and the experiences that shaped him. \u201cI genuinely don\u2019t know how to express how fortunate I feel. Not in a polished, speech-giving kind of way \u2014 but in the way that catches you off guard on an ordinary Tuesday,\u201d he wrote.He said he was entrusted with flying fighter aircraft at a young age and given leadership responsibilities before fully understanding the weight and responsibility involved. \u201cThey handed me the controls of a fighter aircraft when I was still young enough to be reckless\u201d, he wrote.He has also been selected as one of the four astronauts for India\u2019s upcoming Gaganyaan mission<\/a>, the country\u2019s first human spaceflight programme. In the post, Shukla credited the Indian Air Force for shaping his professional and personal life. Reflecting of the failures he wrote, \u201cThe failures taught me as much as the victories\u201d.Shukla described his entry into the Indian Air Force as a mix of personal choice and fate, saying he felt guided by a larger force and expressed deep gratitude for the journey it led him on.Commissioned into the IAF fighter stream in June 2006, Shukla has accumulated over 2,000 flying hours across aircraft including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32. He was elevated to the rank of Group Captain in March 2024.<\/div>\n