‘Back to Cadet Days’: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Does Push-Ups with NDA Cadets
Pune, 1st April 2026: Astronaut and Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla recently revisited the National Defence Academy (NDA) near Pune, where he delivered a guest lecture to cadets and reflected on his formative years at the prestigious institution.
Sharing his experience on social media after the visit, Shukla described the return to NDA as a deeply emotional and nostalgic moment. He said walking through the academy’s gates felt like “stepping through a fold in time,” as memories from his cadet days resurfaced vividly.
According to Shukla, the visit brought back recollections of several places within the campus that had played an important role during his training. He mentioned revisiting areas where cadets often rode — and sometimes carried — their bicycles, the academy library that served as a place of learning and quiet reflection, and the mess, which he described as a centre of camaraderie among cadets.
He also revisited his former squadron, Hunter, recalling the experiences and friendships that shaped his early military career. He also did push-ups with cadets.
One of the most significant moments during the visit was his return to Habibullah Hall, where he once sat as a cadet attending lectures and film screenings. This time, however, he stood at the podium as a guest speaker addressing the next generation of cadets.
Shukla said the experience was difficult to describe in words and described it as a special honour to speak at the same venue where he had once been part of the audience.
He also shared a lighter moment from the visit, recalling how he instinctively straightened his posture when he was introduced to the academy’s adjutant, even though the officer was younger than him. The reaction, he noted, reflected the discipline ingrained during his training days.
Shukla described the National Defence Academy as more than just an institution, calling it a standard that few can rival and an experience that continues to stay with those who pass through its gates.
