President Murmu confers Ashoka Chakra on Space Hero Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award , on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force (Axiom 4) in recognition of his historic space mission and exceptional service to the nation. The award was presented during the 77th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path in New Delhi.

Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow , Shukla is an accomplished fighter pilot, test pilot and one of India’s first astronauts (Gaganyatris) . He graduated from the National Defence Academy and trained at the Indian Air Force Academy and the Indian Institute of Science . Commissioned into the IAF fighter stream in June 2006 , he has logged over 2,000 flight hours on aircraft including the Su‑30 MKI, MiG‑21, MiG‑29, SEPECAT Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier 228 and An‑32.

In 2019 , Shukla was selected as part of the first group of astronauts for India’s Gaganyaan programme . He underwent astronaut training at Russia’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre and further preparation at ISRO’s Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru .

Shukla also made history as mission pilot of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax‑4) in June 2025 , a commercial spaceflight that docked with the International Space Station (ISS) . He spent 18–20 days in space , becoming the first Indian to reach the ISS and the second Indian ever in space , after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984. The mission involved international collaboration, provided critical experience in spacecraft operations, and contributed expertise relevant to India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme .

The Gaganyaan mission aims to send Indian astronauts into orbit aboard a human-rated LVM3 rocket, with a crew module capable of carrying up to three astronauts to around 400 km altitude and safely returning them to Earth. The first crewed test flight is tentatively scheduled for early 2027, and Shukla’s Ax‑4 experience from three days in low Earth orbit is seen as a valuable stepping stone for the mission, enhancing India’s technical readiness and operational confidence.

The award recognises Shukla’s courage, pioneering spirit and contribution to India’s human spaceflight ambitions . Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior defence officials hailed his achievement as a moment of national pride , reflecting India’s growing capabilities in space exploration and international collaboration.