New Delhi: Kartikeya Sharma, Member of Parliament of Rajya Sabha, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ask him to give Captain Smit Machhar the Ashoka Chakra for his bravery, courage and sacrifice in the line of duty.
The request has brought into focus the exceptional commitment of Indian soldiers in service of the country. The Ashoka Chakra is one of the highest peacetime gallantry awards and is awarded for acts of conspicuous bravery or self-sacrifice apart from direct enemy attack.
Sharma is in his letter to the Prime Minister on the merits of Capt Smit Machhar so that the military can be recognised. What we have asked about is the importance of being able to recognize the contributions and sacrifice made to the military by soldiers and officers in order to meet their responsibilities in difficult circumstances.
The Ashoka Chakra is one of India's highest military honours. The award is intended to recognise extraordinary courage and selflessness, particularly in cases where personnel face grave risks to their own lives. Over the years, recipients of the award have been one of the most noble examples of courage and dedication to duty in the Indian armed forces.
Sharma’s appeal is in line with the recognition of the service done on the military and the fact that exceptional acts of bravery are given the proper national recognition. A gallantry medal is not only a tribute to one person but also to the dedication and sacrifices that go into serving.
The recommendation to award the Ashoka Chakra to Captain Smit Machhar will now be subject to the government's process for taking the gallantry awards. Honours are officially approved by the Government under which an act of bravery is judged and if the person does not meet the eligibility criteria for the award. So the letter by Rajya Sabha MP is a request for consideration and it is not to be taken as approval that the award has been approved.
The intervention has also highlighted the role elected representatives can play in bringing matters concerning national security, armed forces personnel and military recognition to the attention of the Union government. Letters and representations seeking gallantry honours can help draw public and official attention to individual stories of courage and sacrifice.
For the families and colleagues of military personnel, recognition at the national level can be quite emotional and symbolic. Beyond the individual, such recognition can reinforce the values of courage, duty, sacrifice and service of India’s armed forces.
The Ashoka Chakra is of particular significance because it recognizes bravery beyond the battlefield. Recipients can be individuals who show extraordinary courage despite grave danger in many operational or security situations. The award is one of the country’s highest forms of recognition for peacetime acts of valour.
As Sharma's request reaches the Prime Minister's Office, now we can focus on the government's consideration of the recommendation as well as the formal process for gallantry awards. Any final decision would be final after the facts and recommendations are considered.
Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma writes letter to PM urging the Ashok Chakra to be awarded to Capt Smit Machchar Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/KnkzkRlRV4 #CaptainSmitMachchar #KartikeyaSharma #PMModi #AshokChakra https://t.co/g4M4oVeC3h
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) October 7, 2026
But the appeal for the Ashoka Chakra for Capt Smit Machhar has put the officer’s supposed acts of courage at the centre of a wider conversation about military recognition. It also underlines the pressing need for the public to acknowledge those who risk their lives for the good of the nation.
For now, Sharma’s letter is a call for consideration rather than an announcement of an award. The next step will depend on the government’s assessment under the established gallantry-award framework.
