Shubhanshu Shukla awarded Ashoka Chakra on India’s 77th Republic Day

New Delhi witnessed a moment of national pride on Monday as India's second space visitor Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force was conferred the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, during the 77th Republic Day celebrations.

The prestigious honour was presented by President Droupadi Murmu at the ceremonial parade in the national capital. He is one of the 70 distinguished individuals who are on the awardee list for 2026's Ashoka Chakra honour.

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Group Captain Shukla made history in 2025 by becoming the first Indian to visit the International Space Station and only the second Indian to travel to space. He flew to the ISS on June 25, 2025, as part of the Axiom Space Ax-4 mission, serving as the mission’s pilot.

Shukla’s spaceflight came 41 years after India’s first human space mission, when cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma travelled aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1984, marking a new chapter in India’s human spaceflight journey.

A decorated fighter pilot, Shukla is experienced with an operational record of over 2,000 flying hours on a wide range of aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32.

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