Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, a senior Indian Air Force officer, qualified test pilot, and one of the four designated Gaganyatris for India’s first indigenous human spaceflight mission, was conferred the Kirti Chakra — the nation’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award — by President Smt. Droupadi Murmu during Phase-I of the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The award recognises Air Commodore Nair’s exceptional professional excellence, indomitable spirit, devotion to duty, and critical contributions to India’s human space exploration endeavours, particularly his rigorous training and unwavering mission readiness as the backup pilot for the Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2025.
The Investiture Ceremony
President Murmu presented the Kirti Chakra to Air Commodore Nair alongside gallantry awards to personnel from the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and State/UT Police. The ceremony also saw the conferment of six additional Kirti Chakras (including two posthumous), 15 Vir Chakras (including three posthumous), and 29 Shaurya Chakras (including one posthumous).
The honour for Air Commodore Nair was part of the 2026 Republic Day gallantry awards list and marks formal recognition of his pivotal role in preparing for and supporting India’s ambitious Gaganyaan programme.
A Distinguished IAF Career
Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (Service Number 25284, call sign ‘Papa’) was born on 26 August 1976 in Nemmara, Palakkad district, Kerala. He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a Flying Officer on 19 December 1998 after graduating from the Air Force Academy, where he was awarded the Sword of Honour as the top cadet of his course.
He has accumulated over 3,000 hours of flying experience across multiple aircraft types, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, and An-32. A Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor, he has served as Commanding Officer of a Su-30 MKI squadron and graduated at the top of his class from the United States Air Force Air Command and Staff College in Alabama. He was promoted to the rank of Air Commodore on 7 April 2026.
Selection and Training for Gaganyaan
In 2019, Air Commodore Nair was selected as one of four Indian Air Force test pilots chosen by ISRO for astronaut training under the Gaganyaan programme — India’s first crewed spaceflight mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts (Gaganyatris) to low Earth orbit.
He underwent intensive astronaut training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Moscow (2020–2021), followed by mission-specific training at ISRO’s Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru. This comprehensive preparation equipped him and his fellow selectees for the physiological, technical, and operational demands of human spaceflight.
Critical Role as Backup Pilot for Axiom Mission-4
Air Commodore Nair served as the backup mission pilot for the Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4), a commercial spaceflight to the ISS in June 2025. He trained extensively alongside the primary Indian astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla successfully completed the 18-day mission and was subsequently awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. Air Commodore Nair’s designation as backup required him to maintain full mission readiness, demonstrating the discipline, resilience, and professional competence essential for such high-stakes operations.
Significance of the Award
The conferment of the Kirti Chakra to Air Commodore Nair underscores the vital importance of meticulous preparation, redundancy, and collective effort in India’s human spaceflight programme. His exemplary service reflects the highest traditions of the Indian Air Force and highlights the nation’s growing capabilities in space exploration through international collaboration with agencies such as NASA and Roscosmos, alongside indigenous efforts by ISRO.
This recognition also serves as an inspiration to defence aspirants and the youth of India, illustrating how rigorous training, dedication, and a commitment to national service can contribute to historic milestones in science and technology.
Air Commodore Nair is married to Indian actress Lenaa (married January 2024). His journey from a distinguished fighter pilot to a Gaganyatri embodies the evolving role of the armed forces in supporting India’s strategic and scientific objectives.
As India advances towards the realisation of the Gaganyaan mission, the honour bestowed upon Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair affirms the nation’s resolve to achieve self-reliance in human spaceflight and pays tribute to the quiet professionalism of those who stand ready to serve at the frontiers of exploration.
