Six Kirti, 16 Shaurya Chakra winners: 80 gallantry awards announced for Armed Forces

There are six Kirti Chakras, including three posthumous; 16 Shaurya Chakras, including one to a civilian and two posthumous; 53 Sena Medals, including seven posthumous; one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

The President has also approved 311 defence decorations to Armed Forces and other personnel.

On the eve of the 75th Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu has approved gallantry awards to 80 Armed Forces and security forces personnel, 12 of which were awarded posthumously.

There are six Kirti Chakras, including three posthumous; 16 Shaurya Chakras, including one to a civilian and two posthumous; 53 Sena Medals, including seven posthumous; one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry). The President has also approved 311 defence decorations to Armed Forces and other personnel.

Among those awarded the Kirti Chakra, Major Digvijay Singh Rawat from the Parachute regiment (Special Forces) received the award for an operation which led to the killing of an insurgent in Manipur. “…Undaunted by hostile fire, Major Rawat tactfully manoeuvred his party to engage the terrorists and himself crawled to a flank and eliminated one self-styled captain and injured another in a display of superlative skills. As per intelligence, they were masterminds of ambush on Assam Rifles,” his citation said.

Read | Centre announces 1,132 service medals for central and state police personnel

Major Deependra Vikram Basnet from the Sikh regiment also received the Kirti Chakra for an ambush deployed in the Kupwara sector. “Realising the grave danger to his men, unmindful of his own safety, the officer crawled towards the terrorist amid heavy fire and killed him,” it stated. “In the ensuing firefight, he came face to face with a second terrorist. Without second thought, he engaged this terrorist in fierce hand-to-hand combat and killed him,” it read.

He continued to resolutely control the operation and assisted in elimination of a third terrorist who was pinning down his team. The officer risked his life to safeguard his troops and ensured success of the operation. The operation eliminated five heavily armed foreign terrorists.

Captain Ashuman Singh, a medical officer, was awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously for saving four to five individuals during a major fire at the Siachen glacier on July 19, 2023. Other Army personnel who received the Kirti Chakra include Havildar Pawan Kumar Yadav, and Havildar Abdul Majid, and Sepoy Pawan Kumar both of whom got the award posthumously. All awards were for operations in J&K. Of the Shaurya Chakras awarded, seven were awarded to Army personnel and one to a civilian, one was received by a naval officer and two by Indian Air Force officers, four by J&K personnel and CRPF personnel.

Amrita Nayak Dutta

Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram