103 police officers receive President’s medals after 3-year wait

The medals were handed out during an investiture ceremony held at Lok Bhawan, in presence of the minister of state for home (rural) Dr Pankaj Bhoyar, additional chief secretary (home) Manisha Mhaiskar and director general of police Sadanand Date

MUMBAI: Two months after Hindustan Times reported that hundreds of police personnel who were conferred with President’s medals over the past few years were yet to receive their medals, Maharashtra governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Friday handed out medals to 103 police personnel who were awarded medals between 2022 and 2024.

103 police officers receive President’s medals after 3-year wait

The medals were handed out during an investiture ceremony held at Lok Bhawan, in presence of the minister of state for home (rural) Dr Pankaj Bhoyar, additional chief secretary (home) Manisha Mhaiskar and director general of police Sadanand Date.

“As we had said earlier, we were waiting for the rainy season to come to an end, as the investiture ceremony is held in the open, on the lawns of Lok Bhavan,” a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity.

Friday’s awardees included two recipients of President’s medals for gallantry, 18 recipients of gallantry medals, three recipients of President’s police medals for distinguished service, four recipients of President’s medals for distinguished service, 40 recipients of police medals and 36 meritorious service medal recipients.

Prominent police officers who were handed out medals included the Commissioner of Police, Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar, Niket Kaushik; Commissioner of Police, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Vinay Kumar Choubey; Additional Director General of Police (traffic), Pravin Salunkhe; Additional Director General of Police (administration), Madhukar Pandey; Inspector General of Police (VIP security), Pravin Kumar Padwal; and Inspector General of Police (training and special units) Nishith Mishra.

As per procedure, every year, on the eve of Republic Day and Independence Day, the President approves service medals for police, fire, home guard, and correctional services personnel; and gallantry medals for the armed forces and the central armed police forces. Gallantry medals are ceremoniously awarded to recipients by the President, while service medals are given out by the Governors of respective states.

In Maharashtra, service medals for police personnel were last handed out in 2022. Since then, 298 police personnel have been named as recipients – 43 in August 2023, 44 in January 2024, 42 in August 2024, 43 in January 2025, 42 in August 2025, 44 in January 2026 and 40 on the eve of this Independence Day.

Following the distribution of medals among 103 police officers on Friday, nearly half of the awardees between 2024 and 2026 are yet to receive their medals.

“Since the process (of disbursal) has started, we are hopeful that our medals will soon be handed over to us,” the police officer quoted earlier said. Two policemen on whom medals were conferred had died awaiting the medals, he said.

“Getting a President’s medal is very prestigious as it gives you a feeling of honor and shows that your hard work and service is appreciated,” said a retired constable.

The selection criteria for service medals is stringent, as candidates must have an impeccable service record and they must have received the Director General’s insignia.

“Yet, only some make it to the list of awardees the state government sends to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” the retired constable said.