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Republic Day: Pune cops to get President’s medal for distinguished services

Two officers from Pimpri Chinchwad police – assistant commissioner of police Vitthal Kubade and police inspector Amol Phadtare — have been nominated for the President's medal for Distinguished Services.

2 min readPuneJan 25, 2026 10:08 PM IST

Pune Police during a rehearsal for Republic Day parade. (Express Archive/Pavan Khengre)

Deputy Superintendent of Police Dayanand Gawade, currently attached to the Pune unit of the state anti corruption bureau (ACB), is among the police officers posted in Pune, who have been nominated for the President’s medal for distinguished services, ahead of the 77th Republic Day.

In his 29 years of police service, Gawade has received 1,170 rewards. Among his best actions during his postings at the local crime branch (LCB), he played a role in the arrest of as many as 440 wanted accused, with the recovery of 47 firearms from their possession.

Two officers from Pimpri Chinchwad police – assistant commissioner of police Vitthal Kubade and police inspector Amol Phadtare — have been nominated for the President’s medal for Distinguished Services. Both officers have worked in different police establishments and were also part of anti-naxal operations. Phadtare has even worked with the elite C 60 – Commando squad in naxal affected areas of Gadchiroli district.

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Police inspector Avinash Shankarrao Shilimkar, who is currently heading the local crime branch (LCB) of the Pune rural police, has also been nominated for the President’s medal. Shilimkar has worked with various police establishments in the state and played a role in detections of sensitive cases. In January 2023, seven members of a family were fished out of the Bhima River in Pune’s Daund taluka. Investigation by a team led by Shilimkar had revealed that it was not a case of mass suicide, but the seven persons were allegedly murdered.

Among others who are also nominated for the President’s Medal, include assistant sub inspector Pradip Sahebrao Sawant of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) Group – 1, Havaldars Rajendra Ghangar and Sunil Lande, both posted at the Yerwada Central Prison.

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