Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla at NDA Pune (Photo: Instagram/Shubhanshu Shukla).Visiting his alma mater, the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla in Pune for a guest lecture Saturday, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said he found himself wandering not as a speaker, but as “that wide-eyed cadet again”. He also visited his squadron, the Hunter Squadron, and joined its cadets for push-ups as a sign of camaraderie and shared spirit.Astronaut Group Captain Shukla was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 2006. Before being selected as an astronaut, he distinguished himself as an accomplished fighter combat leader and test pilot, flying a wide range of aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32.He travelled to space aboard an Axiom Space mission to the International Space Station, launching on a SpaceX Crew Dragon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, marking India’s return to human spaceflight and a key milestone ahead of the Gaganyaan programme. Born in Lucknow on October 10, 1985, Group Captain Shukla passed out from the NDA in 2005. He is from the Hunter Squadron, which is well known for its highly demanding, physically demanding training regime.In an Instagram post after his guest lecture, Group Captain Shukla wrote, “Returning to the NDA for a guest lecture felt less like a visit and more like stepping through a fold in time. The moment I crossed those familiar gates, something within me quietly realigned — as though the intervening 24 years had politely stepped aside to let memory take command.”“I found myself wandering not as a speaker, but as that wide-eyed cadet again—lingering over places that had once shaped me in ways I probably only understand now. The stretches where we “rode” (and often lifted) our bikes, the library that doubled as both refuge and reprieve, the mess—undoubtedly the most cherished theatre of camaraderie—and, of course, my squadron, Hunter. Each corner carried echoes. Each step felt like a conversation with a younger version of myself.”About his guest in the iconic Habibullah Hall of the academy, Group Captain Shuka wrote, “And then, Habibullah Hall. A place where I had once sat quietly in the audience — absorbing lectures, occasionally films — now had me standing at the podium, addressing cadets who reminded me so vividly of who I had been. It was an honour that resists neat description.”He further wrote, “At one point, I was introduced to the adjutant. Instinct took over — my posture straightened before thought could intervene, despite him being a much younger officer. Some reflexes, it seems, are permanently etched. The National Defence Academy isn’t just an institution; it is a standard few can rival and even fewer can truly articulate. To have walked out of its gates as a cadet is a matter of enduring pride. There are places you visit, and then there are places that stay with you—quietly, indelibly. The NDA, without question, belongs to the latter.”Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd