IAF Air Commodore Prasanth Nair Awarded Kirti Chakra for Gallantry
Gaganyaan astronaut-designate and IAF test pilot Prasanth Nair gets Kirti Chakra
Image: The Times Of India
Prasanth Nair, an astronaut-designate for India's Gaganyaan mission and IAF Air Commodore, received the Kirti Chakra from President Droupadi Murmu. This award recognizes his distinguished service and courage, highlighting his extensive training and contributions to India's space program.
- 01Prasanth Nair is one of four Gagannauts selected for India's Gaganyaan mission.
- 02He received the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, from President Droupadi Murmu.
- 03Nair has logged over 3,000 flight hours and served as a category-A flying instructor in the IAF.
- 04He was the backup pilot for the Axiom mission-4 to the ISS in June 2025.
- 05In total, President Murmu awarded six Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras, and 29 Shaurya Chakras during the ceremony.
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On Monday, Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, an Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Commodore and astronaut-designate for the Gaganyaan mission, was honored with the Kirti Chakra by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Kirti Chakra is India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, acknowledging Nair's courage and dedication to duty. Nair, who has served as a backup pilot for the upcoming Axiom mission-4 to the International Space Station (ISS), has a remarkable career as a test pilot, logging over 3,000 hours of flight time on various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI and MiG-29. He completed rigorous training at NASA's Johnson Space Centre and was also trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Moscow. Alongside Nair, President Murmu awarded six other Kirti Chakras, including two posthumously, and recognized numerous personnel from the defence and police forces during the phase-I of the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026.
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Nair's recognition boosts morale and highlights the contributions of Indian astronauts and defense personnel.
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