India, Aug. 22 -- As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla recalled the Axiom-4 Mission and his first-hand experience at the International Space Station (ISS), making him only the second Indian to journey into space, people of my generation were reminded of a different time some 40 years ago.

Back then, images of Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, aboard Soviet Soyuz T-II uttering the words 'Saare jahan se achha' were beamed on Doordarshan for many days. His words, which went on to create history, were an apt reply to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's question about how India looked from space.

This was some years after the Apollo missions to the moon and back had been wrapped up as part of which astronaut Neil Armstr...