Manipur rescue mission, high altitude chopper op among valour stories honoured at Southern Command Investiture Ceremony

On Thursday, Southern Army Commander Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth presided over the investiture ceremony in Pune which was held at the Bombay Engineers Parade Ground. The event coincided with a full dress rehearsal of the Army Day Parade which will be held at the same venue on January 15. Among the medal and awards were eight Sena Medals (Gallantry), nine Sena Medals (Distinguished), 14 Vishisht Seva Medals, two Vishisht Seva Medals Bar, one Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and 27 General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Unit appreciations. In the Same ceremony, the Army Commander felicitated distinguished Army veterans for their remarkable post-retirement contributions in various fields.

Earlier on Friday night, a special dinner was also hosted for the distinguished awardees and their families by the Southern Command, Pune. During the event, Lt Gen Seth interacted with the awardees, acknowledging their sacrifices, acts of valour and contributions.

Stories of courage, strategic thinking

Among the awardees of Sena Medal (Gallantry) was Lieutenant Colonel Varun Chaudhary, 662 Army Aviation Squadron (Reconnaissance and Observation) who in a high risk flying operation in May 2023 in Jammu and Kashmir and transported the injured crew from the accident of another aircraft. The very next day he also successfully led the mission to deploy troops at a high risk location which proved decisive for the operation.

Lieutenant Colonel Anuj Sharma of the Dogra Regiment, 40th Battalion, Rashtriya Rifles, displayed exceptional courage during an operation in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Amidst intense gunfire from terrorists, he skillfully blocked their escape routes. Despite the continued heavy fire, he and his team executed a successful operation, neutralising four foreign terrorists. For this he was awarded Sena Medal (Gallantry).

Other awardees of the Sena Medal (Gallantry) included Lieutenant Colonel Priyank Puri of the 666 Army Aviation Squadron (Reconnaissance and Observation) who was part of a high-risk flying mission in extreme altitudes in October 2023. Operating in challenging snow-covered terrain and inclement weather, he responded to an emergency during the Indian Army’s expedition to Mount Nun. He expertly hovered the helicopter and successfully led the rescue of five soldiers.

Major Abhimanyu Sharma, the Armoured Corps, 9 Assam Rifles, on a night in May 2023, in a peace disrupted area in Manipur, displaying exemplary strategic thinking he led the rescue of 30 villagers who were trapped by miscreants. He also led an operation in which multiple men, women and children were rescued from a house that was on fire. Amidst the complex internal security scenario he played a key role in organising dialogue between communities and establishing goodwill. He was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for displaying exemplary foresight and bravery.

Subedar Deepak Kumar Sharma, 21st Battalion the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) during a sensitive operation successfully neutralised two active cadre members of rebel group, one of whom was most wanted. He showed exemplary courage amidst extremely challenging situations on the India Myanmar border.

Distinguished veterans honoured

Among the veterans honored at the investiture was Colonel (Dr) Ratan Mukherjee (Retd), Director of the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC), recognized for his exceptional work in improving the lives of soldiers with disabilities. Lieutenant Colonel Monish Ahuja (Retd) was honoured for his contributions to renewable energy, sustainability, and environmental causes. Captain CM Chitale (Retd) was acknowledged for his significant efforts in assisting Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in their post-retirement resettlement and career-building.

Other awardees included Subedar (Honorary Captain) Amsiddha Bhise (Retd), a 1971 war veteran, who was lauded for his work in supporting Ex-Servicemen (ESM) and war widows, particularly through government schemes and the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). Havildar Bajrang Nimbalkar (Retd) was recognized for his commitment to the welfare of ESM and Veer Naris, particularly in securing employment opportunities and facilitating resettlement.