Republic Day: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to receive Ashok Chakra for Axiom Mission 4

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be awarded the Ashok Chakra for his courage and contribution during Axiom Mission 4.
• Colonel Sophia Qureshi will receive the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for her role in Operation Sindoor.
• Shukla's 18-day space mission in June 2025, the first Indian journey to the ISS in over four decades, involved 60+ scientific experiments.
• He managed complex flight operations and microgravity tasks, inspiring 1.4 billion Indians and strengthening India's Gaganyaan program.
• Other gallantry awards announced include Kirti Chakra for Major Arshdeep Singh, Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba, and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, and Shaurya Chakra for several officers.

Why It Matters: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Colonel Sophia Qureshi are among those honored with gallantry awards.