LUCKNOW, July 15 -- Tears, prayers and waving tricolours marked an emotional celebration in Lucknow on Tuesday, as astronaut Shubhanshu 'Shux' Shukla made a safe return to Earth after completing the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, following his 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station.

Watching the splashdown live on a projector screen at his alma mater, City Montessori School (CMS), his family and former teachers rejoiced as he exited the spacecraft with a broad smile from the California coast.

Shux's mother, Asha Shukla, his father Shambhu Dayal Shukla, and sister Shuchi Mishra had their eyes glued to the screen throughout the telecast. "Baccha vapas aa gaya hai to ab sab thik hai (My kid is back so it all feels fine)," Asha said...