Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Awarded Ashoka Chakra for Historic ISS Mission

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla received the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.
• Shukla is the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and the second Indian in space.
• His 18-day space mission on Axiom-4 last June followed Rakesh Sharma's 1984 flight.
• A decorated fighter pilot, Shukla boasts 2,000 flight hours on multiple aircraft types.
• President Droupadi Murmu approved gallantry awards for 70 armed forces personnel, including six posthumous, on Republic Day eve.

Why It Matters: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was honored with the Ashoka Chakra for his pioneering ISS mission.