Shubhanshu Shukla Awarded Ashok Chakra After Historic International Space Station Mission

On this Special Report, we highlight the historic achievement of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who has been conferred with the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award. Shukla created history as the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom 4 mission. During his address, he stated, 'Today in 2025, the Indian flag reached the International Space Station for the first time.' He shared fascinating insights into life in microgravity, describing the ISS as equivalent to a 'six BHK house' and explaining the mental shift required to navigate a 3D environment where objects do not fall. Shukla, an experienced fighter pilot with over 2000 flying hours on aircraft like the Su-30 MKI and MiG-29, is the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma. The programme captures his extraordinary journey and the inspiration he provides to future generations as India marks its giant leap into space exploration.