Capt. Smit Machchhar Honoured with UAE’s First Class Order of Zayed II

Ahmedabad: Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot of Gujarat origin, has been honoured with the UAE’s prestigious First Class Order of Zayed II for his courage in protecting passengers during an in-flight incident involving a flydubai aircraft in September. He is the first Gujarati to receive the honour and the third Indian to be conferred the distinction.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the honour on Machchhar and other members of the flydubai crew in recognition of their courage and sense of responsibility. The awards were presented by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who praised the crew for their actions during the incident.

Before the award ceremony, the UAE President also met Machchhar and other crew members. A video of the meeting shows the President hugging Machchhar and commending him for his courage.

During the September incident, Machchhar confronted his co-pilot during an attack inside the aircraft’s cockpit. The co-pilot reportedly intended to crash the aircraft. Machchhar’s actions helped protect passengers on board and avert a potential aviation disaster.

His bravery has drawn widespread attention, with growing calls for him to receive further recognition for his actions.

Machchhar is also set to receive Israel’s highest civilian bravery award. Meanwhile, there is a strong push in India for him to be honoured with the Ashoka Chakra, the country’s highest peacetime gallantry award.

The Order of Zayed II is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founding president, who led the country from its formation in 1971 until his death in 2004.

The two other Indians previously reported to have received the honour are Navdeep Singh Suri, who served as India’s ambassador to the UAE from December 2016 to September 2019, and Sunjay Sudhir, who held the post from November 2021 to September 2025. DeshGujarat