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IAF's Shubhanshu Shukla gets big honour, conferred Ashoka Chakra for 'immense bravery'
During the Republic Day celebrations, President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Ashok Chakra on Group Captain Shukla.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a test pilot with the Indian Air Force and a Gaganyatri with the Indian Space Research Organisation, was awarded the prestigious Ashok Chakra during the Republic Day celebrations at New Delhi’s Kartavya Path today.
In June 2025, Shukla became the first Indian national to visit the International Space Station as part of NASA’s private spaceflight mission, Axiom Mission 4.
After Squadron Leader (later Wing Commander) Rakesh Sharma travelled to space in 1984, Shubhanshu Shukla became the second Indian to visit space.
Born on October 10, 1985, Shukla is an alumnus of the Khadakwasla-based National Defence Academy (NDA). He logged more than 2,000 flying hours across various aircraft, including the Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar and Hawk after he was commissioned in the fighter stream of IAF on June 17, 2006.
He is the youngest of the four Indian Air Force pilots who are selected for India's first crewed spaceflight, Gaganyaan. The spaceflight will lift off in early 2027, fueling a new era of space exploration launching two to three astronauts to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission, with a second flight scheduled soon thereafter, HT earlier reporter.
Gaganyaan is a part of India's long-term ambitions in space that include setting up the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.
Other gallantry awardees
The Ashoka Chakra and top wartime honour Param Vir Chakra are the only awards that are presented at the Republic Day parade.
Apart from Shubhanshu Shukla, two women officers will be awarded the country's third-highest peacetime gallantry medal, Shaurya Chakra, for perhaps the first time for completing a gruelling sailing mission around the world last year, HT earlier reported.
On Sunday, President of India Droupadi Murmu approved gallantry awards to 70 armed forces, including Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, who is also among the four pilots aboard Gaganyaan.
Nair is set to receive India’s second highest peacetime gallantry award, the Kirti Chakra at an investiture ceremony which is scheduled to be held later.
