Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla brought a dose of humour to the Bengaluru Tech Summit on Thursday, joking that navigating the city’s traffic was harder than travelling to space.
Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer and test pilot, is among the four astronauts selected for India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2027.
Speaking before a packed audience at the summit, he said his commute from Marathahalli to the venue took three times longer than his actual presentation.
“I’m coming all the way from the other side of Bengaluru, Marathahalli. I have spent thrice the time that I am going to be spending on this presentation with you. So you have to look at the commitment that I have,” he quipped.
Group Capt. Shubhanshu Shukla,
began his session at #BTS2025 with a sarcastic remark on #bengalurutraffic, saying he had taken “three times longer to reach the venue from Marathahalli, than the duration of his presentation.”@gagan_shux pic.twitter.com/1s2ewScM2J
— Elezabeth Kurian (@ElezabethKurian) November 20, 2025
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge responded in kind during the closing-day session, saying, “Shubhanshu Shukla said it was easier for him to get from space to Bengaluru, but getting from Marathahalli to this venue was difficult.” He added that the government would work to ensure such delays do not happen in the future.
The Future Makers Conclave, a highlight of this year’s Bengaluru Tech Summit, attracted thousands of participants and showcased some of the country’s leading innovators, creators, and thought leaders.
Alongside Shukla, the session featured entrepreneur-author Ankur Warikoo, Zepto co-founder Kaivalya Vohra, mind reader Suhani Shah, six-time Grand Slam champion Sania Mirza, and India wicketkeeper-batter and ICC World Cup champion Richa Ghosh.
Organised by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Government of Karnataka, the 28th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit was held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) and carried the theme ‘Futurise’.
(With inputs from PTI)
