President Droupadi Murmu has approved 78 gallantry awards to personnel of the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) on the eve of the 80th Independence Day.
The awards include 13 posthumous honours and recognise acts of exceptional courage and valour during operations across Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast and other challenging operational areas.
The list includes nine Kirti Chakras, of which seven have been awarded posthumously, one Bar to Shaurya Chakra, 19 Shaurya Chakras, five Bars to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 36 Sena Medals, three Nao Sena Medals and five Vayu Sena Medals.
The President has also approved 89 Mention-in-Despatches, including 75 Army, 10 Air Force and four Navy personnel.
No Ashoka Chakra, the country's highest peacetime gallantry award, has been announced this year.
Among the Army recipients, all three Kirti Chakras have gone to personnel of the Parachute Regiment's Special Forces. Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis PF of 21 Para (Special Forces), who is already a recipient of the Shaurya Chakra, and Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 Para (Special Forces) have been awarded the Kirti Chakra. Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 Para (Special Forces) has received the honour posthumously.
The remaining six Kirti Chakras have been awarded posthumously to Central Armed Police Forces personnel. The recipients are Head Constables Jagbir Singh and Bashir Ahmad, Special Grade Constables Jaswant Singh, Balvinder Singh and Tariq Hussain, and Special Task Force Inspector Sunil Kumar.
The Army's other major gallantry awards include a Bar to the Shaurya Chakra for Major Aditya Pratap Singh of the Rajputana Rifles, who is serving with 44 Assam Rifles.
Major Singh, who already holds the Shaurya Chakra and Sena Medal, has been recognised again for his operational service.
Five posthumous Sena Medals have also been approved. Four of them have gone to personnel of 19 Rashtriya Rifles: Lance Havildar Palash Ghosh, Lance Naik Sujay Ghosh, Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh. The fifth has been awarded posthumously to Subedar Perbhat Gaur of the 9 Rashtriya Rifles. Lance Naik Narender Sindhu of the same unit is the lone posthumous recipient of the Shaurya Chakra.
The Indian Navy has also been recognised for acts of gallantry. Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra. Three personnel have received Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry): Commander Yuvraj Kumar, Commander Vineet Sharma and Petty Officer Avinash Annaso.
Four Navy personnel have additionally been included in the Mention-in-Despatches list: Commander Nikhil Chugh, Lieutenant Ajay Jose N Joseph, Abhishek Dhanawade, Sea I (CD), and Ashwin Santhosh, AVR Sea (CD).
In the Indian Air Force, Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar is the sole recipient of the Shaurya Chakra. Group Captains Rahul Jagotta and Rahul Rawat are among the five personnel awarded the Vayu Sena Medal.
The Mention-in-Despatches awards also recognise personnel involved in a range of operations.
Most of the Army citations relate to Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir and Operations Hifazat and Orchid in the Northeast.
Other citations cover 'Operation Snow Leopard' in eastern Ladakh and 'Operation Meghdoot' in the Siachen Glacier region.
Two Agniveers of 2 Mahar, Hariom and Krishan Kumar, have also been named in the Mention-in-Despatches list for Operation Hifazat.
Army Dog Tyson of the Remount Veterinary Corps, attached to 2 Para (Special Forces), has also received the distinction.
Picture Courtesy: X/ President of India
