View source for Ashoka Chakra military decoration

{{short description|India's highest peacetime military decoration}}
{{about|the military decoration|the symbol|Ashoka Chakra}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox award
| name             = Ashoka Chakra
| image            = [[File:Ashoka-chakra.png|120px]]<br><br>[[Image:Ashoka Chakra ribbon.svg|150px]]
| caption          = Ashoka Chakra and its ribbon
| presenter        = [[Government of India]]
| country          = India
| type             = [[Medal]]
| eligibility      = {{bullet list|Officers of [[Indian Armed Forces]], [[Indian Territorial Army|territorial army]], militia and any other lawfully constituted forces|Members of nursing services of the armed forces|Civilians and members of [[Police in India|police]] including [[Central Armed Police Forces|central para-military forces]] and [[Railway Protection Force]]}}
| awarded_for              = Most conspicuous bravery, or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice
| campaign         = 
| status           = active
| description      = India's highest peacetime military decoration 
| motto            = 
| clasps           = 
| post-nominals    = AC
| established      = {{start date and age|df=yes|1952}}
| firstawarded      = 1952
| lastawarded       = 2026
| total_awarded_posthumously = 68
| total_recipients = 87
| precedence_label =
| individual       = 
| higher           = [[File:Bharat Ratna Ribbon.svg|55px]] [[Bharat Ratna]]
| same             = [[File:Param-Vir-Chakra-ribbon.svg|55px]] [[Param Vir Chakra]]{{efn|Though the Ashoka Chakra is placed below the [[Param Vir Chakra]] in the precedence, it is considered as a peacetime equivalent of Param Vir Chakra.}}
| lower            = [[File:Padma Vibhushan Ribbon.svg|55px]] [[Padma Vibhushan]]
| related          = 
}}

The '''Ashoka Chakra''' ({{lit|[[Ashoka Chakra|Wheel of Ashoka]]}}) is India's highest peacetime [[military decoration]]. It is the peacetime equivalent of the [[Param Vir Chakra]] and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice". The decoration may be awarded either to military personnel or civilians by the [[Government of India]].

The circular medal consists of [[Ashoka Chakra]] surrounded by a [[Indian lotus|lotus]] wreath on the front. The obverse consists of "Ashoka Chakra" written in [[Devanagari]] along the upper edge on the medal and in [[English language|English]] along the lower rim. It is suspended by a straight bar suspender from a green ribbon with a central saffron stripe.

{{As of|2026}}, there have been 87 recipients of the award. Of these, 68 have been posthumous recipients, and 17 have been civilians. [[Havildar]] [[Bachittar Singh (soldier)|Bachittar Singh]] of the [[Indian Army]] was the first recipient of the award, in 1952. [[D. K. Jatar]], a pilot of [[Air India]]'s [[Kashmir Princess]] was the first civilian recipient of the award, in 1955. Only two women have ever been awarded the Ashok Chakra, [[flight attendant]] [[Neerja Bhanot]] in 1987 and [[police constable]] [[Kamlesh Kumari]] in 2001. Two non-Indians, [[cosmonaut]]s [[Gennadi Strekalov]] and [[Yuri Malyshev (cosmonaut)|Yuri Malyshev]] were given the award in 1984. [[Indian Air Force]] officer [[Shubhanshu Shukla]], decorated in 2026, is the most recent awardee.<ref>{{cite press release |date=25 January 2026 |title=77th Republic Day: President approves Gallantry awards to 70 Armed Forces personnel, including six posthumous, also clears military decorations to 301 personnel |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2218540&reg=3&lang=1 |work=[[Press Information Bureau]], [[Government of India]] |access-date=25 January 2026}}</ref>

== Description ==
The medal was originally established on 4 January 1952 as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class I" by the [[President of India]] deemed to have been in effect from 15 August 1947.<ref name="Gallantry">{{cite web|title=Ashok Chakra|url=http://www.warb-mha.gov.in/pdf/awards.pdf|work=[[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)]]|access-date=5 September 2016|page=1|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035719/http://www.warb-mha.gov.in/pdf/awards.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was the highest class of the three gallantry awards established at the time.<ref name="Award">{{cite web|title=Gallantry Awards|url=https://gallantryawards.gov.in/about|work=[[Government of India]]|access-date=5 September 2016|page=1|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035719/http://www.warb-mha.gov.in/pdf/awards.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In January 1967, the award was renamed as Ashok Chakra with the other two classes renamed as [[Kirti Chakra]] and [[Shaurya Chakra]] respectively.<ref name="Gallantry"/><ref name="Award"/> The awards are given out twice a year&ndash; during the [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] and [[Independence Day (India)|Independence Day]].<ref name="Award"/> Though the Ashok Chakra is placed below the [[Param Vir Chakra]] in the order of precedence,<ref name="Award"/> it is considered to be the peace time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra.<ref name="Gallantry"/> The award includes a medal, and a monthly stipend of {{INRconvert|2800}}.<ref name="Gallantry"/><ref name="IAF">{{Cite web|author=|url=https://indianairforce.nic.in/ashoka-chakra/|title=Ashoka Chakra|work=[[Indian Air Force]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref>

== Eligibility ==
The Ashok Chakra can be awarded to all enlisted officers of the [[Indian Armed Forces]] including the [[Indian Army]], [[Indian Airforce]], and [[Indian Navy]], the [[Indian Territorial Army]], reserve personnel, and any other legally constituted armed force. Nursing members of the armed forces are also eligible for the award. [[Police in India|Police personnel]] including the [[Central Armed Police Forces]], and the [[Railway Protection Force]] are also eligible for the award. The award can also be given to any civilian at the discretion of the [[Government of India]].<ref name="Gallantry"/><ref name="IAF"/> It is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice" during times other than war.<ref name="Gallantry"/><ref name="IAF"/>

== Design ==
The medal is circular with a diameter of {{cvt|1.375|in}}. It has prominent rims and is made of [[gold]] [[gilding]]. On the front side, it has a replica of the [[Ashok Chakra]] surrounded by a wreath of [[sacred lotus]]. In the reverse, the words "Ashok Chakra" are embossed in [[Devanagri]] on the top and [[English language|English]] towards the bottom edge. These are separated by a lotus flowers on either side. The medal is suspended by a straight bar suspender from a green ribbon with a central saffron stripe. If a recipient receives subsequent such awards, more bars are added to the ribbon by which the medal is suspended.<ref name="IAF"/>

== Recipients ==
{{As of|2026}}, the medal has been awarded to 87 awardees, of which 68 were to posthumous recipients.<ref name="List">{{cite web|url=https://gallantryawards.gov.in/awards|title=Awardees|work=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> [[Havildar]] [[Bachittar Singh (soldier)|Bachittar Singh]] of the [[Indian Army]] was the first recipient of the award for his part in the [[Operation Polo]] in 1948.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/bachittar-singh-first-ashoka-chakra-awardee-8938420/|title=Bachittar Singh: the soldier who won India’s first Ashoka Chakra for action on Sept 13, 1948|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> [[Flight lieutenant]] [[Suhas Biswas]] was the first member of the [[Indian Air Force]] to be commemorated with the award in 1953.<ref name="BR">{{cite web|url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/iaf/awards/peace/ashoka-chakra/|title=Ashok Chakra|work=[[Bharat Rakshak]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> [[Flight captain]] [[D. K. Jatar]], who was the pilot of the bombed [[Air India]] [[Kashmir Princess|flight 300]], was the first civilian recipient of the award in 1955.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/1955-air-india-international-flight-crash-failed-assassination-attempt-on-chinese-premier-revealed-by-declassified-diplomatic-records-airindia-kashmirprincess-1955crash-101681495959341.html|title=Air India plane crashes in botched assassination bid|newspaper=[[The Hindustan Times]]|date=1 June 2024}}</ref> Only two women have ever been awarded the Ashok Chakra, flight attendant [[Neerja Bhanot]] in 1987 and police constable [[Kamlesh Kumari]] in 2001 for their actions during the hijack of [[Pan Am Flight 73]] and [[2001 Indian Parliament attack]] respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shethepeople.tv/top-stories/inspiration/the-women-awardees-of-ashok-chakra-in-india-republic-day-2022/|title=Women Awardees Of Ashok Chakra In India|work=She the people|date=26 January 2022|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> 

Two non-Indians, [[cosmonauts]] [[Gennadi Strekalov]] and [[Yury Malyshev (cosmonaut)|Yuri Malyshev]] were given the award in 1984 for their [[Soyuz T-11]] mission which also carried [[Rakesh Sharma]], the first Indian to space.<ref name="BR"/> [[Paratrooper]] [[Sanjog Chhetri]] was the youngest awardee at 20 years of age, when he was killed in the counter terrorism operations in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gallantryawards.gov.in/awardee/1098|title=Sanjog Chhetri|work=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://en.mynewsne.com/sikkim-youth-achieves-top-rank-in-national-defence-academy-examination/|title=Sikkim Youth Achieves Top Rank in National Defence Academy Examination|date=13 April 2025|access-date=15 April 2025|work=North East News}}</ref> [[Colonel]] [[Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair]] was the only recipient of both the Ashok Chakra and [[Kirti Chakra]], the two highest peacetime honours.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gallantryawards.gov.in/awardee/1088|title=Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair|work=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Key
|-
| align=center style="background-color:lightblue" |†
| Indicates posthumous honour
|-
| align=center style="background-color:pink" | ^
| Indicates non-Indian recipient
|}

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;" style="font-size: 90%"
|+ Ashok Chakra recipients<ref name="List"/><ref>{{cite book|title=Ashoka Chakra Recipients|author=Rashmi Aggarwal|year=2021|publisher=[[Prabhat Prakashan]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8LjjDAAAQBAJ|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref>
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Recipient
! Rank{{efn|name=Rank|Refers to the rank held by the recipient at the time of award. }}
! Entity
! Action{{efn|name=Action|Refers to the conflict or event for which the Ashoka Chakra was awarded.}}
|-
| 1952
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Bachittar Singh (soldier)|Bachittar Singh]]†
| [[Havildar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Operation Polo]]
|-
| 1952
| [[Narbahadur Thapa]]
| [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Operation Polo]]
|-
| 1953
| [[Suhas Biswas]]
| [[Flight Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Air Force]]
| Stricken flight landing
|-
| 1955
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[D. K. Jatar]]†
| [[Flight Captain]]
| [[Air India]]
| [[Kashmir Princess|Kashmir Princess bombing]]
|-
| 1956
| [[Sundar Singh (soldier)|Sundar Singh]]
| [[Lance Naik]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir conflict]]
|-
| 1957
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Jagannath Raoji Chitnis]]†
| [[Lieutenant Colonel]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Ethnic conflict in Nagaland|Nagaland insurgency]]
|-
| 1957
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Joginder Singh (soldier)|Joginder Singh]]†
| [[Havildar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Ethnic conflict in Nagaland|Nagaland insurgency]]
|-
| 1957
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Pollur Mutthuswamy Raman]]†
| [[Second Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Ethnic conflict in Nagaland|Nagaland insurgency]]
|-
| 1958
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Eric James Tucker]]†
| [[Captain]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Ethnic conflict in Nagaland|Nagaland insurgency]]
|-
| 1962
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Khadka Bahadur Limbu†
| [[Subedar Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Ethnic conflict in Nagaland|Nagaland insurgency]]
|-
| 1962
| [[Man Bahadur Rai]]
| [[Captain]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Ethnic conflict in Nagaland|Nagaland insurgency]]
|-
| 1965
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Chaman Lal†
| 
| [[Firefighter]]
| Train fire
|-
| 1965
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Lajja Ram†
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1965
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Purshottam†
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1965
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Tej Singh†
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1967
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Shankar Lal Shrivastava†
| [[Head Constable]]
| [[Madhya Pradesh Police]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1968
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Takhat Singh†
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1968
| Dhanpat Singh
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1968
| Govind Singh
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1968
| Hukum Singh
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1968
| Lakhan Singh
|
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1969
| [[Jas Ram Singh]]
| [[Captain]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Mizo insurgency]]
|-
| 1971
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Baij Nath Singh]]†
| 
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1972
| [[Bhure Lal]]
| [[Constable]]
| [[Madhya Pradesh Police]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1972
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Ummed Singh Mahra]]†
| [[Captain]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Ethnic conflict in Nagaland|Nagaland insurgency]]
|-
| 1974
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Gurnam Singh (soldier)|Gurnam Singh]]†
| [[Naib Subedar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Mine explosion]]
|-
| 1974
| Munni Lal
| 
| [[Civilian]]
| Dacoit attack
|-
| 1981
| [[Cyrus Addie Pithawalla]]
| [[Second Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Manipur insurgency]]
|-
| 1984
|style="background-color:pink" | [[Gennadi Strekalov]]^
| [[Flight Engineer]]
| [[Roscosmos]]
| [[Soyuz T-11]]
|-
| 1984
| style="background-color:pink" |[[Yury Malyshev (cosmonaut)|Yury Malyshev]]^
| [[Colonel]]
| [[Soviet Air Forces]]
| [[Soyuz T-11]]
|-
| 1985
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Bhawani Datt Joshi†
| [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Operation Blue Star]]
|-
| 1985
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Bhukant Mishra]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Operation Blue Star]]
|-
| 1985
| [[Chhering Mutup]]
| [[Havildar|Lance Havildar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Siachen conflict]]
|-
| 1985
| [[Jasbir Singh Raina]]
| [[Captain]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Operation Blue Star]]
|-
| 1985
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Nirbhay Singh Sisodiya]]†
| [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Operation Blue Star]]
|-
| 1985
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Ram Prakash Roperia]]†
| [[Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Operation Blue Star]]
|-
| 1985
| [[Rakesh Sharma]]
| [[Wing Commander]]
| [[Indian Air Force]]
| [[Soyuz T-11]]
|-
| 1986
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Vijay Jagirdar]]†
| 
| [[Civilian]]
| [[1984 anti-Sikh riots]]
|-
| 1987
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Neerja Bhanot]]†
| 
| [[Pan Am]]
| [[Pan Am Flight 73]] hijack
|-
| 1991
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Randhir Prasad Verma]]†
| [[Superintendent of Police]]
| [[Bihar Police]]
| [[Bank robbery]]
|-
| 1992
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Sandeep Sankhla]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1993
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Rakesh Singh Malhan]]†
| [[Second Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1994
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair]]†
| [[Colonel]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1995
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Harsh Uday Singh Gaur]]†
| [[Lieutenant Colonel]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1995
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Rajiv Kumar Joon]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1995
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Sujjan Singh Yadav]]†
| [[Subedar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1996
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Arun Singh Jasrotia]]†
| [[Captain]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1997
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Puneet Nath Datt]]†
| [[Second Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 1997
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Shanti Swaroop Rana]]†
| [[Lieutenant Colonel]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2000
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Sudhir Kumar Walia]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2001
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Jagdish Prasad Yadav†
| 
| [[Rajya Sabha]] secretariat
| [[2001 Indian Parliament attack]]
|-
| 2001
| style="background-color:lightblue" |Matbar Singh Negi†
| 
| [[Rajya Sabha]] secretariat
| [[2001 Indian Parliament attack]]
|-
| 2001
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Kamlesh Kumari Yadav]]†
| [[Constable]]
| [[Central Reserve Police Force]]
| [[2001 Indian Parliament attack]]
|-
| 2002
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Surinder Singh (soldier)|Surinder Singh]]†
| [[Subedar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2002
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Rambeer Singh Tomar]]†
| [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2003
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Suresh Chand Yadav]]†
| [[Subedar Major]]
| [[National Security Guard]]
| [[Akshardham Temple attack]]
|-
| 2004
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Sanjog Chhetri]]†
| [[Paratrooper]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2004
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Triveni Singh]]†
| [[Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2007
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Chuni Lal]]†
| [[Naib Subedar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2007
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Radhakrishnan Nair Harshan]]†
| [[Captain]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2007
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Vasanth Venugopal]]†
| [[Colonel]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2008
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Dinesh Raghu Raman]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2009
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Ashok Kamte]]†
| [[Additional Commissioner of Police|Additional Commissioner]]
| [[Maharashtra Police]]
| [[2008 Mumbai attacks]]
|-
| 2009
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Bahadur Singh Bohra]]†
| [[Havildar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2009
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Gajender Singh Bisht]]†
| [[Havildar]]
| [[National Security Guard]]
| [[2008 Mumbai attacks]]
|-
| 2009
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Hemant Karkare]]†
| [[Joint Commissioner of Police|Joint Commissioner]]
| [[Maharashtra Police]]
| [[2008 Mumbai attacks]]
|-
| 2009
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Jojan Thomas]]†
| [[Colonel]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2009
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Mohan Chand Sharma]]†
| [[Inspector of Police|Inspector]]
| [[Delhi Police]]
| [[Batla House encounter]]
|-
| 2009
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Pramod Kumar Satapathy]]†
| [[Deputy Superintendent of Police|Assistant Commandant of Police]]
| [[Odisha Police]]
| [[Naxalite–Maoist insurgency]]
|-
| 2009
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[R. P. Diengdoh]]†
| [[Deputy Superintendent of Police|Deputy Superintendent]]
| [[Meghalaya Police]]
| [[Insurgency in Meghalaya|Meghalaya Insurgency]]
|-
| 2009
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Sandeep Unnikrishnan]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[National Security Guard]]
| [[2008 Mumbai attacks]]
|-
| 2009
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Tukaram Omble]]†
| [[Assistant sub-inspector of police|Assistant Sub-Inspector]]
| [[Maharashtra Police]]
| [[2008 Mumbai attacks]]
|-
| 2009
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Vijay Salaskar]]†
| [[Inspector of Police|Inspector]]
| [[Maharashtra Police]]
| [[2008 Mumbai attacks]]
|-
| 2010
| [[D. Sreeram Kumar]]
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Manipur insurgency]]
|-
| 2010
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Mohit Sharma (soldier)|Mohit Sharma]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2010
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Rajesh Kumar (soldier)|Rajesh Kumar]]†
| [[Havildar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2011
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Laishram Jyotin Singh]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[February 2010 Kabul attack]]
|-
| 2012
|style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Navdeep Singh (Ashok Chakra)|Navdeep Singh]]†
| [[Lieutenant]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2014
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Mukund Varadarajan]]†
| [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2014
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Neeraj Kumar Singh]]†
| [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2014
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[K. Prasad Babu]]†
| [[Sub-Inspector]]
| [[Andhra Pradesh Police]]
| [[Naxalite–Maoist insurgency]]
|-
| 2016
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Mohan Nath Goswami]]†
| [[Lance Naik]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2017
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Hangpan Dada]]†
| [[Havildar]]
| [[Indian Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2018
| style="background-color:lightblue" |[[Jyoti Prakash Nirala]]†
| [[Corporal]]
| [[Indian Air Force]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2019
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Nazir Ahmad Wani]]†
| [[Lance Naik]]
| [[Territorial Army (India)|Territorial Army]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2021
|style="background-color:lightblue" | [[Babu Ram]]†
| [[Assistant sub-inspector of police|Assistant Sub-Inspector]]
| [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
| [[Kashmir insurgency]]
|-
| 2026
| [[Shubhanshu Shukla]]
| [[Group captain (India)|Group Captain]]
| [[Indian Air Force]]
| [[Axiom Mission 4]]
|}

=== Summary ===

{|class="plainrowheaders"
|+
! scope="col" style="vertical-align:top" |
{{Bar graph
| title = Award recipients by year
| float       = right
| bar_width   = 22
| width_units = em
| data_max    = 30
| label_type  = Year
| data_type   = Number of recipients
| label1      = 1952–1959
| data1       = 09
| label2      = 1960–1969
| data2       = 13
| label3      = 1970–1979
| data3       = 05
| label4      = 1980–1989
| data4       = 12
| label5      = 1990–1999
| data5       = 10
| label6      = 2000–2009
| data6       = 24
| label7      = 2010–2019
| data7       = 12
| label8      = 2020–2029
| data8       = 02
}}
! scope="col" style="vertical-align:top"|
{{Bar graph
| title       = Award recipients by service
| float       = right
| bar_width   = 22
| width_units = em
| data_max    = 55
| label_type  = Field
| data_type   = Number of recipients
| label1      = Indian Army
| data1       = 52
| label2      = Indian Air Force
| data2       = 04
| label4      = Civilians
| data4       = 17
| label5      = Police
| data5       = 12
| label6      = Non-Indians
| data6       = 02
}}
|}

==See also==
* [[List of highest military decorations by country]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|first1=B.C. |last1=Chakravorty|title=Stories of Heroism: PVC & MVC Winners|year=1995|publisher=Allied Publishers|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-8-17023-516-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uzizVBSb4YsC}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Awards/Peace/305-AC.html Ashoka Chakra awardees of the Indian Air Force]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220035320/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/awards/peace/305-ac.html |date=20 December 2019 }}

{{Awards and decorations of the Indian Armed Forces}}
{{Ashoka Chakra award recipients}}
{{Highest gallantry awards}}

[[Category:Civil awards and decorations of India]]
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)|*]]
[[Category:Memorials to Ashoka]]
[[Category:Ashoka Chakra]]
[[Category:Courage awards]]