ISS Pioneer Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Awarded Ashok Chakra for Historic Space Mission
First Indian at ISS, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Awarded Ashok Chakra: In a historic recognition of courage and service, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), has been awarded the Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. The honour was approved by President Draupadi Murmu as part of the 2026 gallantry awards.
Last year, the 41-year-old Indian Air Force test pilot became the second Indian to travel to space, 41 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s landmark mission in 1984. Group Captain Shukla flew to the ISS in June as part of the Axiom-4 mission, spending 18 days in space—a journey that marked a major milestone for India’s space ambitions.
President Murmu approved gallantry awards for 70 armed forces personnel, including six posthumous honours. The awards include one Ashok Chakra, three Kirti Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras (one posthumous), one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), and 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry). The Kirti Chakra recipients are Major Arshdeep Singh, Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba, and Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair.
President Murmu Approves Ashok Chakra for ISS Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla
An accomplished fighter pilot, Group Captain Shukla has logged over 2,000 flying hours on a wide range of aircraft, including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. His space mission is seen as a critical step toward India’s future human spaceflight goals.
Calling the mission a landmark achievement, Shukla had said that the experience would directly contribute to India’s ambitious projects such as Gaganyaan, the proposed Indian Space Station, and future Moon missions.
“What we have learned from this mission is unique and extremely important. We will apply these learnings to India’s human spaceflight programme in the coming years,” he had said.
The Ashok Chakra award to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla stands as a testament to India’s growing stature in space exploration and the extraordinary bravery of its armed forces personnel.
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