IAF Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to be awarded Ashoka Chakra

Shubhanshu Shukla

Indian Air Force Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will be conferred with the Ashoka Chakra, the country’s highest peacetime gallantry award, in recognition of his exceptional courage, selfless service and outstanding contribution to the nation.

Shubhanshu Shukla etched his name in history on June 26, 2025, when he reached the International Space Station after launching aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The mission marked a major milestone as he became the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS. He is, however, the second Indian to travel to space, after Rakesh Sharma’s pioneering mission.

Shukla's 18-day space odyssey came 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma flew aboard a Russian Soyuz in 1984.

As a fighter pilot, Shukla has an impressive record of 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32.

Shukla hails from Lucknow. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 2006.

The decision to confer the Ashoka Chakra on Shukla is seen as the government's recognition of the importance of the space sector as the coveted honour is generally bestowed on military personnel for showing "most conspicuous bravery".

President Droupadi Murmu has also approved Gallantry awards to 70 Armed Forces personnel, including six posthumous, on the eve of 77th Republic Day. These include one Ashok Chakra; three Kirti Chakras; 13 Shaurya Chakras, including one posthumous; one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry), including five posthumous; six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).