Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), will be honored with the Ashok Chakra on the occasion of India’s 77th Republic Day. Ashoka Chakra is India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, given for extraordinary bravery and courage. President Draupadi Murmu has approved to honor a total of 70 soldiers of the Indian Army with gallantry awards.

A statement in this regard has been issued by the Defense Ministry on Sunday, in which it was told that 70 soldiers of the Indian Security Forces will be honored with the Gallantry Award on the evening of Republic Day. In this, six soldiers will be honored posthumously. Apart from this, military degrees will also be awarded to 301 other soldiers.

Who is Shubhanshu Shukla?

Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS). In June last year, Shukla was the second Indian to go to space. He did this journey under the Axiom-4 mission. Shukla’s 18-day space journey came 41 years after astronaut Rakesh Sharma flew in a Russian Soyuz rocket in 1984.

Started career as fighter jet pilot

Astronaut Shukla started his career as a fighter aircraft pilot in the Indian Air Force. He has a total of about two thousand hours of flying experience on various aircraft including Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and AN-32.

6 soldiers will be honored posthumously

On the eve of Republic Day, President Draupadi Murmu approved the conferment of gallantry awards on 70 armed forces personnel, six of whom will receive the honors posthumously. This year, one Ashok Chakra, three Kirti Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras including one posthumous, one ‘Bar to Sena Medal’ (gallantry) and 44 Sena Medals (gallantry) will be awarded. This year, it has been announced to honor Major Arshdeep Singh, Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba and Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair with Kirti Chakra.

Three soldiers will be honored with Kirti Chakra

Major Arshdeep Singh of 1st Assam Rifles of the Indian Army – Kirti Chakra

Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of 2 Para (SF) of the Indian Army – Kirti Chakra

Indian Air Force Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair – Kirti Chakra

13 soldiers will be honored with Shaurya Chakra

Lieutenant Colonel Ghatge Aditya Shrikumar of 21 Para (SF) – Shaurya Chakra

Major Anshul Baltu of 32 Assam Rifles – Shaurya Chakra

Major Shivkant Yadav of 5 Para (SF) – Shaurya Chakra

Major Vivek of 44 RR – Shaurya Chakra

Major Lishangthem Deepak Singh of 11 Para (SF) – Shaurya Chakra

Captain Yogendra Singh Thakur of 6 Para (SF) – Shaurya Chakra

1 Subedar P. H. Moses of Assam Rifles – Shaurya Chakra

4 RR’s L/DFR Baldev Chand (posthumously) – Shaurya Chakra

Rifleman Manglem of 3rd Assam Rifles with Vaifei – Shaurya Chakra

Rifleman Dhurba Jyoti Dutta of 33 Assam Rifles – Shaurya Chakra

Indian Navy Lieutenant Commander Dilna K. – Shaurya Chakra

Indian Navy Lieutenant Commander Rupa A. – Shaurya Chakra

Bipin Wilson, Assistant Commandant, Union Home Ministry – Shaurya Chakra

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