On September 30, 2026, flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, experienced a sudden cockpit assault when co‑pilot Hardeep Singh stabbed captain Smit Machchhar. Despite the wound, Machchhar managed the aircraft, making critical decisions that led to a safe emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
In the wake of the incident, Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora, a native of Mumbai, drafted a formal letter to the Prime Minister’s Office on October 2, 2026, demanding that Machchhar be honored with India’s highest civilian gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra.
Deora’s appeal highlighted that Machchhar’s actions went beyond professional duty, describing the captain as embodying ‘courage, self‑lessness and duty’ while sustaining injuries. He added that such recognition would send a powerful message to young Indians that bravery is not confined to the battlefield.
The call for an award has not been limited to Deora. The Federation of Indian Pilots and the Confederation of All India Traders have both submitted petitions to the PMO and the Civil Aviation Ministry, urging the government to consider the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak and the Ashoka Chakra for the captain’s extraordinary conduct.
All petitions have now reached the Prime Minister’s office. The next step will be a Cabinet review, with the award decision expected in the coming weeks.