Aligarh

Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla attended the anniversary celebrations of Sant Fidelis Senior Secondary School in Aligarh, where he interacted with students and spoke about managing fear and staying calm during his recent space mission.

Shukla, recently back in India after completing his assignment in space, was warmly welcomed by students. When fifth-grader Ananya Singh asked how he remained calm in orbit, Shukla said faith and focus helped him deal with difficult moments.

“Bahut baar aisa hota hai jab darr aata hai — Hanuman Chalisa aapki bahut madad karta hai. Main wahan ‘Ram-Ram-Ram’ jap raha tha, jisne mujhe bahut shakti di,” he said, adding that the larger lesson is to manage fear with presence of mind.

He explained to students that fear increases when one focuses on what cannot be done. “Kal exam hai aur abhi tak kuch nahi padha… ya toh darr jao, ya bache huye samay ka sahi istemaal karo,” he said, urging them to concentrate on actionable steps instead of panic.

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Ananya said she felt inspired by the astronaut’s message and expressed her ambition to become an IAS officer.