President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for his exceptional contribution to the nation and his historic achievement in space exploration. The award was presented during the Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
Shubhanshu Shukla created history in June last year by becoming the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station and only the second Indian to travel to space. He was part of the landmark Axiom Mission 4, marking India’s return to human spaceflight 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s mission aboard Soyuz.
An accomplished fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force, Group Captain Shukla has logged more than 2,000 hours of flying experience across a wide range of aircraft. His operational profile includes advanced platforms such as the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32, reflecting his extensive expertise and operational excellence.
During the Axiom-4 mission, Shukla served as the pilot and played a crucial role in mission operations aboard the ISS. His participation in complex scientific experiments and coordination with international space agencies earned him widespread recognition from global space experts and further strengthened India’s standing in human space exploration.
The mission was conducted by US-based private space company Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Indian Space Research Organisation. Shukla’s successful journey and performance made him a household name and a symbol of India’s growing capabilities in space science and technology.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla hails from Lucknow and was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 2006. His journey from the cockpit to orbit stands as a testament to dedication, skill, and national service.
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