Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, recently promoted, has been chosen as the lead astronaut for an upcoming mission. Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shukla is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force’s fighter stream on June 17, 2006.
As a Fighter Combat Leader and experienced test pilot, Shukla has logged around 2,000 flying hours on various aircraft such as the Sukhoi-30MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. He holds the distinction of being a Category-A flying instructor, the highest level a pilot can attain, and has served as Directing Staff at both the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the Flying Instructors School, Tambaram. Additionally, Shukla has commanded a Sukhoi-30MKI squadron and is an alumnus of the United States Staff College.
