Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to the International Space Station (ISS), has been honoured with Ashoka Chakra — India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. On the eve of Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu also approved gallantry awards to 69 other Armed Forces personnel, including six who would receive the honour posthumously.
The gallantry decorations include three Kirti Chakras; 13 Shaurya Chakras (one posthumous); one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry) (five posthumous); six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Group Captain Shukla flew to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission in June last year.
IAF officer and astronaut Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Major Arshdeep Singh of 1 Assam Rifles, and Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of 2 Para (SF) have been awarded Kirti Chakra.
According to the Army, Major Singh on May 14, 2025 had led a special patrol along the Indo-Myanmar Border which had come under sudden and unprovoked fire from a dominating height, where he fearlessly assaulted the position through dense undergrowth and killed multiple armed cadres, ensuring zero casualties to own troops through exceptional leadership, gallantry and resolve.
Naib Subedar Subba, during a counter-terror operation last year in the forests of Kishtwar manoeuvred under heavy hostile fire, closed in on terrorists with complete disregard for personal safety and eliminated a hardcore foreign terrorist before killing another, displaying conspicuous gallantry.
Ten Army personnel and two women officers of the Navy have been awarded the Shaurya Chakra. The women Navy officers include Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A.
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The Citation for Lieutenant Commander Dilna K, selected for Navika Sagar Parikrama II, a pioneering dual-handed circumnavigation aboard INSV Tarini between October 2, 2024 and May 29, 2025, states that she sailed over 25,600 nautical miles through the Indian, Pacific, Atlantic and Southern Oceans.
