Republic Day awards: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla named Ashoka Chakra recipient; 70 others honoured
Ahead of Republic Day, the Centre announced gallantry and service honours, including an Ashoka Chakra for Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and a wider set of decorations for personnel across services, with several awards posthumous.
Ashoka Chakra for Shubhanshu Shukla
The Centre on Sunday announced that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has been awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, as part of the Republic Day honours. The announcement comes on January 25, 2026, a day before Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
According to the report, Shukla is being recognised after his landmark human-spaceflight achievement: he became the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station and spent 18 days in space, an achievement that was positioned as a major milestone for India’s human space exploration ambitions.
The account notes that Shukla served as pilot on Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4), a mission carried out by the private firm Axiom Space, with involvement that included NASA, ESA and ISRO. The story also highlights his background as a fighter pilot with extensive flying experience across multiple aircraft types.
Wider set of military decorations announced
Alongside the Ashoka Chakra, the announcement includes a large batch of military decorations and gallantry awards. The report says the President approved a broad list of awards and decorations and that a number of them will be conferred posthumously.
The list referenced in the report includes Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra recipients, as well as multiple service medals across the Army, Navy and Air Force. The article also notes recognition for two Indian Navy women officers who completed a globe-circumnavigation sailing expedition on INSV Tarini.
Why this year’s honours are drawing attention
The report frames the Ashoka Chakra decision for Shukla as especially notable because the honour is traditionally associated with extraordinary bravery in service, and it is being linked here to an achievement in India’s fast-expanding space domain.
With Republic Day on January 26, 2026, the announcements are expected to be part of the broader national focus on constitutional values, public service and recognition of exceptional acts and accomplishments.