Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Gets Ashok Chakra, India’s Highest Peacetime Military Medal

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has been conferred with the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime military honour, for his contribution to the country’s space programme through his mission to the International Space Station.

Shukla created history in June 2025 by becoming the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS. He travelled aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on June 26, 2025.

He is the second Indian to travel to space, after fellow IAF officer Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard a Soviet mission more than four decades ago. Sharma was also awarded the Ashoka Chakra.

A decorated fighter pilot, Shukla has logged more than 2,000 hours of flying experience across multiple aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32.

President Droupadi Murmu approved gallantry awards for 70 armed forces personnel on the eve of Republic Day, including six posthumous honours.

The awards include one Ashoka Chakra, three Kirti Chakra, 13 Shaurya Chakra, one posthumous Shaurya Chakra, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), and 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry).

Among the recipients, Group Captain PB Nair, one of the four designated astronauts for India’s Gaganyaan mission, was awarded the Kirti Chakra, the peacetime equivalent of the Mahavir Chakra.

Recipients of the Highest Gallantry Awards

Ashoka Chakra

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla

Kirti Chakra

• Major Arshdeep Singh

• Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba

• Group Captain PB Nair

Shaurya Chakra

• Lt Colonel Ghatage Aditya Shrikumar

• Major Anshul Baltoo

• Major Shivkant Yadav

• Major Vivek

• Major Leishangthem Deepak Singh

• Captain Yogender Singh Thakur

• Subedar P H Moses

• L/Dfr Baldev Chand (Posthumous)

• Rifleman Manglem Sang Vaiphei

• Rifleman Dhurba Jyoti Dutta

• Lt Commander Dilna K (Navy)

• Lt Commander Roopa A (Navy)

• Assistant Commandant Vipin Wilson (MHA)