Lucknow designer's space mission patch becomes official Indian stamp

When astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla launched into space aboard Axiom Mission 4 on June 25, 2025, he wasn't the only Lucknowite making history. The mission patch he carried with him was designed by fellow Lucknow-born fashion designer Manish Tripathi, and the story doesn't end in orbit. The mission patch is now included in an official commemorative stamp sheet released by the Department of Posts on the occasion of the International Day of Human Space Flight in Bangalore, marking a rare moment where a single design travels from space into India's cultural record. The stamp features the mission patch that Tripathi designed for Shukla's historic mission, bringing together space exploration and design in a single frame.

Calling it unlike any other recognition in his career, Tripathi says, "As a fashion designer, we always look for some kind of validation. I've designed for Bollywood and cricketers, but this is a different kind of thing altogether. The design has been immortalised by putting it on a stamp and it feels special to see it become part of a cultural record."
He adds that the idea of a stamp was always part of his thinking while designing the patch. "My thought was that India is going to space, and this is like putting our mark there, so the patch was designed like a stamp. Today, when it has actually become a postal stamp, it feels very special," he says, adding that the transition was handled with care. "We were very particular that there should be no alteration or manipulation in its translation to a stamp. Everything that is there in the patch is there in the stamp."

For Shukla, fondly called Shux, the patch held deep personal meaning. The designer recalls that the astronaut was closely involved in the process from the beginning and was clear about its purpose. The two share a school connection in Lucknow. Talking about the concept, which was relatively new in the Indian context, Tripathi shares, "Usually, mission patches are not something we do in our country, but Shubhanshu was very clear that he wanted to create a mission patch that can inspire the coming generations. Why don't youngsters want to become astronauts or explorers?"
He also recalls the four-month-long process and discussions behind the making of the design. "It took us four months, and I even locked myself in a hotel room for 30 days. I didn't use any fancy tools, just paper and hotel stationery. I wanted the creative journey of making the patch to be original and not influenced by anything else," he reveals.

Talking about the elements, the designer says the challenge was to capture India's vast space legacy within a small format. "You will see Aryabhatta in it, reflecting India's early contributions to space science; a Pi symbol representing the astronomical language; and Jantar Mantar, used to study solar and lunar positions," he explains. He adds that the Earth forms the face of an astronaut looking towards the stars, symbolising ambition, while the Gaganyaan capsule reflects India's human spaceflight journey. "There is also an infinity sign, reflecting humility and continuous learning," he says.
The designer says the journey came full circle when Shukla presented him with the very patch that had travelled to space. "He also presented me with the space travel patch, the one which I designed, and fortunately I have it with me now," he says.
-Amina Ashraf