India, Dec. 31 -- Indian Air Force test pilot and Lucknow lad Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became a global sensation, earning admiration far beyond India. As part of the Axiom-4 mission conducted in June, he made history by becoming only the second Indian to travel to space and the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS). He served as the pilot of the Axiom-4 mission. From orbit, Shukla interacted live with students from his former school, as well as with his parents and other family members. During these conversations, he shared insights into life in space, describing the physical challenges of microgravity and the awe-inspiring experience of viewing Earth from above. A few weeks after his return, when the Lucknow boy finally came back to his home city, the celebrations were nothing short of extraordinary. Many described the occasion as a "second Diwali." He was welcomed with a grand parade, with students from his alma mater receiving him at the airport. As he toured different parts of the city, he waved to students, residents, and passersby who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their hometown hero. Shukla, an astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was part of a distinguished crew led by former NASA astronaut and mission commander Peggy Whitson. The mission also included specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Shukla was born in Lucknow, a city where he also completed his schooling. His father is a retired government officer, and mother a homemaker. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the National Defence Academy in 2005 and was subsequently selected for flying training at the Indian Air Force Academy. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF as a flying officer in June 2006....