Pioneering Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla's Historic ISS Journey

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian to visit the ISS, earning him the Ashoka Chakra. His 18-day mission came 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's historic flight, marking a new era in Indian space exploration.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS). On Monday, he was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.

In June of the previous year, Shukla embarked on the Axiom-4 mission, making him the second Indian to travel to space and the first to step foot on the ISS. His 18-day mission comes 41 years after the historic flight of cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 1984.

With over 2,000 flight hours, Shukla holds an impressive record as a fighter pilot, mastering various aircraft such as the Su-30 MKI and MiG series. Ahead of Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu honored 70 armed forces personnel with gallantry awards, including Shukla's prestigious Ashoka Chakra.

(With inputs from agencies.)