Ashok Chakra a collective blessing from people of India, says Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla

BENGALURU: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's second astronaut and the first from the country to have stayed aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has termed the Ashok Chakra - India's highest peacetime military decoration - as a collective blessing from the people of India.After the formal announcement on Sunday, Shux, as he is fondly known among colleagues, told TOI: "I feel immensely proud and deeply grateful for the honour conferred upon me. When I embarked on this journey [as an astronaut], I did so as a representative of every Indian. Today, as I receive this recognition, I experience it as a collective blessing from the people of India. I am truly humbled by this award." At the same time, he said, the honour brought with it a renewed and heightened sense of responsibility. "...My journey must translate into meaningful and tangible outcomes, particularly in advancing our future human space missions. I remain firmly committed to ensuring that the opportunity I was given-to journey into space from Bharat-opens the door for many more such opportunities in the years ahead." He extended his gratitude for the goodwill and support he has received, and said: "...I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of India for bestowing this prestigious honour upon me."Wing Commander (retd) Rakesh Sharma, India's first astronaut to have travelled to space (April 1984) had also received an Ashok Chakra for his mission with the Soviets. Isro chairman V Narayanan told TOI, on Sunday: "I am proud that my colleague is getting this award and I thank the govt and the PM for it. This recognition is important not only to Shukla but also for India's human space programme, which will see many more astronauts in the coming years, in line with the govt's vision." Shux was aboard the ISS in mid-2025, the year that marked 25 years of continuous human presence on the multinational platform in space. In his first full-fledged exclusive interview in Nov 2025, when ISS achieved this milestone, he had told TOI the space station showed what can happen when long-term engineering goals align with cooperation. "...During my mission, we had 11 crew members from six countries working on more than 60 experiments. We also spoke to students worldwide. Those 20 days showed how a platform built with 1990s technology still supports new science and joint work. ISS stands for continuity, shared goals, and a way of working that keeps people focused on the task, not the boundaries on Earth," Shux had said.