President Droupadi Murmu has approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 posthumous honours, for personnel of the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces on the eve of the 80th Independence Day.
The awards recognise acts of exceptional courage, bravery and devotion to duty by personnel of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces.
The 78 gallantry awards include nine Kirti Chakras, including seven posthumous; one Bar to Shaurya Chakra; 19 Shaurya Chakras, including one posthumous; five Bars to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 36 Sena Medals (Gallantry), including five posthumous; three Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry); and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Among the recipients of the Kirti Chakra are Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis of 21 PARA (Special Forces), Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 PARA (Special Forces) and Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 PARA (Special Forces), who has been honoured posthumously. Six Central Armed Police Forces personnel have also been awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously.
Major Aditya Pratap Singh has been awarded the Bar to Shaurya Chakra, while 19 personnel have been conferred the Shaurya Chakra. The recipients include personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces.
The Shaurya Chakra awardees include Major Paramveer of the Garhwal Rifles, Major Tarun Vasudevan of the Corps of Engineers, Major Keshav Kumar of 12 Dogra, Major Gaurav Singh Brijwal of 21 Grenadiers, Naib Subedar Dabbal Singh Bisht of 21 PARA (Special Forces), Havildar Jagattar Singh of 4 PARA (Special Forces), Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar of the Indian Navy and Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar of the Indian Air Force.
The President has also approved five Bars to Sena Medal (Gallantry) and 36 Sena Medals (Gallantry). The latter category includes five awards made posthumously.
Among the recipients of the Sena Medal (Gallantry) are several officers and personnel serving with Rashtriya Rifles, PARA and Special Forces units, Assam Rifles, the Gorkha Rifles, Grenadiers, Dogra Regiment, Maratha Light Infantry and other formations.
Three personnel of the Indian Navy have been approved for the Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), while five personnel of the Indian Air Force have been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry).
89 personnel mentioned in dispatches
In addition to the gallantry awards, President Murmu has approved 89 Mention-in-Despatches, comprising 75 personnel of the Indian Army, four of the Indian Navy and 10 of the Indian Air Force.
The Army personnel recognised under Mention-in-Despatches have been associated with a range of operations, including Operation Rakshak, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Chakravyuh, Operation Chet heba, Operation Khoijuman, Operation Mount Kangto, Operation Talash, Operation Awang Lekhai, Operation Khoj, Operation Nongren II, Operation Maova-Kiyevi, Operation Secure Shield-XLII and Operation Chanbirok, besides miscellaneous operations.
Notably, Army Dog Tyson of the Remount Veterinary Corps, 2 PARA (Special Forces), has also been included among those mentioned in dispatches under Operation Rakshak.
The Navy recipients include Commander Nikhil Chugh, Lieutenant Ajay Jose N Joseph, Ashwin Santosh and Abhishek C Dhanawade.
The 10 Air Force personnel mentioned in dispatches include Wing Commander Raja Reddy Lalita Nagesh Kumar, Wing Commander Ammar Haider Naqvi, Wing Commander Manoj Puri Goswami, Squadron Leader Kundarapu Koushik, Flight Lieutenant Parthasarathi Mulay and personnel associated with para-jumping, security and other duties.
The honours announced ahead of Independence Day recognise the courage and service of personnel who have demonstrated exceptional commitment in operations and in safeguarding the country’s security.
