Shubhanshu Shukla to be awarded India's peacetime gallantry medal Ashoka Chakra today

POccupant Droupadi Murmu testament on mon grant the rural area’s highest peacetime gallantry medal, Ashoka Chakra, to Indian astronaut and fighter pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who served as pilot for the historic Axiom Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) last year, at the 77th Republic Day parade.Two women officers will be awarded the country’s third-highest peacetime gallantry medal, Shaurya Chakra, for perhaps the first time for completing a gruelling sailing mission around the world last year.On Sunday, Murmu approved gallantry awards to 70 armed forces personnel, including Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, who was the backup pilot for the space mission. Nair will be awarded the Kirti Chakra, India’s second highest peacetime gallantry award, at an investiture ceremony to be held later. Only Ashoka Chakra and top wartime honour Param Vir Chakra are awarded at the Republic Day parade. The other awards approved by the President include two Kirti Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry), six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).The Shaurya Chakra has been awarded to two women officers from the navy --- Lieutenant Commanders Dilna K and Roopa A --- for their challenging circumnavigation mission Navika Sagar Parikrama (NSP) II last year. The two officers covered a distance of 25,600 nautical miles with port calls at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Cape Town (South Africa).Shukla scripted history by becoming the first Indian to visit the ISS, and the second to travel to space following Squadron Leader (later Wing Commander) Rakesh Sharma in 1984. Sharma was also awarded Ashoka Chakra.Born on October 10, 1985, Shukla is an alumnus of the Khadakwasla-based National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the fighter stream of IAF on June 17, 2006. As a combat leader and test pilot, he has logged more than 2,000 flying hours across various aircraft, including the Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar and Hawk. Shukla is the youngest of the four IAF fighter pilots selected for India’s first crewed spaceflight, Gaganyaan.In February 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed the identities of the four fighter pilots for Gaganyaan --- Shukla, Nair, and Group Captains Ajit Krishnan, and Angad Pratap.India’s first crewed spaceflight, Gaganyaan, will lift off in early 2027 kicking off a new era of space exploration, launching two to three astronauts to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission, with a second flight scheduled soon thereafter. India’s long-term ambitions in space include setting up the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Nair was awarded the Sword of Honour at Air Force Academy Dundigal, near Hyderabad, for overall excellence during training.Born at Thiruvazhiyad in Kerala on August 26, 1976, he was commissioned in the fighter stream of IAF on December 19, 1998. He is a ‘Category A’ flying instructor and a test pilot with around 3,000 hours of flying experience. He has flown various aircraft including Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29 and the Hawk advanced jet trainer. He has also attended a key career advancing course in the US and served as a directing staff at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, and Flying Instructors School, Tambaram. Nair has also commanded a Su-30 squadron.The IAF hailed the achievements of Shukla and Nair on X. “As India’s second astronaut, his (Shukla’s) achievement reflects exceptional operational excellence, mission readiness, rigorous discipline and highest standards of courage in service to the nation.”In another post, the air force said Nair “displayed professional excellence and dedication in the rigorous training towards India’s manned Space Mission.” His mission readiness and service to the nation, is in line with the highest traditions of the IAF, it added.The other Kirti Chakra awardees include Major Arshdeep Singh and Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba. Some of the awards will be given posthumously, including one Shaurya Chakra and five Sena Medals (Gallantry).The naval tableau in the parade will also feature Dilna and Roopa, the circumnavigation route followed by them, and a mock-up of the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini on which they completed the eight-month circumnavigation last May. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the two women officers who briefed the media during Operation Sindoor, has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.