Indian astronaut Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, one of the astronauts selected for India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, has been awarded the Kirti Chakra by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Kirti Chakra is India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award that recognises courage, devotion to duty and distinguished service to the nation.
Nair was awarded the Kirti Chakra for his contribution to the Axiom-4 mission on which he was a backup astronaut as part of India’s maiden launch to the International Space Station (ISS).
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Nair was named among the recipients when the gallantry awards were announced ahead of the 77th Republic Day celebrations in January this year.
A DISTINGUISHED CAREER
Nair has emerged as one of the most prominent figures in India’s growing space ambitions.
A decorated Indian Air Force test pilot, he is among the four astronauts chosen for the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space aboard an Indian spacecraft for the first time.
Born in Kerala, Nair joined the National Defence Academy before being commissioned into the Indian Air Force. Over the course of his military career, he accumulated extensive flying experience on a wide range of aircraft and earned a reputation as a highly skilled test pilot.
In 2019, he was selected as part of the elite team that would undergo astronaut training for Gaganyaan. The astronauts completed rigorous training, including sessions in Russia and India, to prepare for the challenges of human spaceflight.
CARRYING INDIA’S SPACE DREAMS
The Gaganyaan mission is considered one of India’s most ambitious scientific projects, seeking to demonstrate the country’s ability to independently launch, orbit and safely bring back astronauts, placing India among a select group of nations with human spaceflight capabilities.
As one of the mission’s astronauts, Nair has played a crucial role in training, mission preparation and public outreach efforts linked to the programme. His work has helped advance India’s long-term plans for human space exploration and future space missions.
The Kirti Chakra adds another feather to his already decorated cap, honouring Nair’s distinguished career, recognising both his service as an Air Force officer and his contribution to a mission that could define India’s future in space.
While Papa Nair has been awarded the Kirti Chakra, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was awarded the Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, for his 18-day mission to the ISS, back in January, during the Republic Day celebration.
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