Ashoka Chakra for Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla; 301 Gallantry Honours Conferred

The Centre on Sunday honoured Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla with the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, recognising his historic achievement as the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS).

Shukla scripted history by spending 18 days in space as part of the Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4), becoming only the second Indian to travel to space and the first from the country to set foot on the ISS. His mission came 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s landmark spaceflight aboard a Soviet spacecraft, marking a new chapter in India’s human space exploration journey.

Serving as the pilot of the Ax-4 mission, Shukla played a key role in the successful execution of the international mission, which involved collaboration between US-based private firm Axiom Space, NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His contribution is being seen as a major milestone for India’s growing presence in global space missions.

A decorated fighter pilot, Shukla brings with him over 2,000 hours of flying experience on a wide range of aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32. His selection for the Ashoka Chakra is being viewed as a rare and significant recognition of excellence beyond the traditional battlefield, highlighting the strategic importance of the space sector.

Alongside Shukla’s honour, President Droupadi Murmu approved a total of 301 gallantry awards and military decorations for 70 personnel from the armed forces and other services. Six of these awards will be conferred posthumously.

The list includes one Ashoka Chakra, three Kirti Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras, including one posthumous, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry), six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

Among the recipients of the Shaurya Chakra are two Indian Navy women officers, Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roop, who were honoured for their exceptional courage and endurance. The duo made history earlier this year by successfully completing an arduous expedition to circumnavigate the globe aboard Indian Naval Sailing Vessel INSV Tarini, covering nearly 21,600 nautical miles, or about 40,000 kilometres, over eight months.

The Kirti Chakra has been awarded to Major Arshdeep Singh of the 1 Assam Rifles, Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of 2 Para (Special Forces), and Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair. Nair was among the four astronauts who underwent training for India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan.

The Shaurya Chakra is India’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award, following the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra. These honours are awarded to recognise acts of bravery, courage, and selfless service to the nation.

The decision to confer the Ashoka Chakra on Shubhanshu Shukla has been widely seen as a recognition of India’s expanding ambitions in space and the critical role played by the armed forces in advancing national capabilities beyond Earth.

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