Ashoka Chakra for space hero Shubhanshu Shukla

New Delhi: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who made history as the first Indian to step aboard the International Space Station, was on Sunday conferred the Ashoka Chakra, the country’s highest peacetime gallantry award.

In June last year, Shukla became only the second Indian to travel to space and the first from the country to visit the ISS. He flew as part of the Axiom-4 mission and spent 18 days in orbit, a journey that came 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma’s flight aboard the Soviet Soyuz-11 mission.

On the eve of Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu approved gallantry awards for 70 personnel from the armed forces. Six of these honours are to be given posthumously. The list includes one Ashoka Chakra, three Kirti Chakras and 13 Shaurya Chakras, with one of the Shaurya Chakras awarded after death. The approvals also cover one Bar to Sena Medal for gallantry, 44 Sena Medals for gallantry, six Nao Sena Medals for gallantry and two Vayu Sena Medals for gallantry.

Among the Shaurya Chakra recipients were two women officers of the Indian Navy, Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A. The officers were recognised months after completing a global circumnavigation covering 21,600 nautical miles, or about 40,000 kilometres, over eight months onboard Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini.

The Shaurya Chakra ranks as the third-highest peacetime gallantry award, following the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra. The Kirti Chakra this year was awarded to Major Arshdeep Singh of 1 Assam Rifles, Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of 2 Para Special Forces and Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair. Nair was among the four astronauts selected and trained for India’s first human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.

Shukla’s selection for the Ashoka Chakra has drawn attention as the award is typically granted to military personnel for acts of “most conspicuous bravery”. As a fighter pilot, he has logged around 2,000 flying hours on aircraft including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32. He served as pilot for Axiom Mission-4, operated by US-based Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA, the European Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation.

A native of Lucknow, Shukla was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 2006. Following the mission, he became widely known for his role in conducting advanced experiments in space.

Of the 13 Shaurya Chakras, 10 were awarded to Army personnel, one posthumously, two to Navy officers and one to a paramilitary official. The President also cleared 301 additional military decorations, including 30 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 56 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, nine Yudh Seva Medals, two Bars to Sena Medals for distinguished service, 43 Sena Medals for distinguished service, eight Nao Sena Medals for distinguished service, 14 Vayu Sena Medals for distinguished service and 135 Vishisht Seva Medals.