Mon Jan 26 11:00:21 UTC 2026: ### India Honors Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla with Ashoka Chakra for Historic ISS Mission
The Story:
President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, upon Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on January 26, 2026, during the 77th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The award recognizes Shukla’s groundbreaking achievement as the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission in June 2025. This mission marked a significant milestone, occurring 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma‘s spaceflight aboard the Russian Soyuz-11.
Key Points:
- Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla received the Ashoka Chakra for his participation in the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS.
- The Axiom-4 mission, executed by Axiom Space, involved NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and ISRO.
- Shukla spent 18 days on the ISS, conducting sophisticated experiments and contributing to India’s human space exploration program.
- Shukla has a distinguished flying career with 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft.
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated Shukla on the award, highlighting his contribution to India’s human spaceflight program.
Key Takeaways:
- India is actively advancing its human space exploration program through collaborations with international space agencies and private firms.
- Group Captain Shukla‘s successful mission to the ISS has elevated India’s position in the global space community.
- The Ashoka Chakra recognizes not only the scientific achievements but also the “indomitable courage and outstanding valour” demonstrated by Shukla during the mission.
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