ABVP seeks Ashoka Chakra for Captain Smit Machchhar

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has urged the Indian government to bestow the Ashoka Chakra upon Captain Smit Machchhar following his "exemplary courage" during a mid-air incident with flydubai Flight FZ1073. The Boeing 737 MAX was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv when a co-pilot allegedly attempted to hijack or crash the plane.

Machchhar, the 39-year-old commercial pilot, bravely defended the aircraft despite severe injuries, unlocking the cockpit door to allow passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. Two off-duty flydubai pilots, among the passengers, assisted in diverting the plane to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, saving 174 lives.

The Ashoka Chakra is India's highest civilian award for extraordinary self-sacrifice and bravery away from the battlefield. Previous recipients include Pan Am flight attendant Neerja Bhanot in 1987 and Air India captain D N Jatar in 1955. The ABVP's All India Office Bearers Meeting, held in Itanagar on October 2 and 3, primarily focused on recent student elections and various organisational matters.