Calls for national recognition for Mumbai-based flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar have grown after he was seriously injured in a mid-air cockpit attack but continued to respond to the emergency aboard Flight FZ1073.

On Friday, Rajya Sabha MP from Mumbai, Milind Deora, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the government to consider Machchhar for the Ashoka Chakra, while the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) separately sought an appropriate national bravery award or civilian recognition for the pilot.