127, including Operation Sindoor heroes, get gallantry awards. Full list

Soldiers who played a role in the planning and execution of Operation Sindoor were among the 127 Gallantry Award receipients this Independence Day.

Published on: Aug 15, 2025, 11:37:29 IST

By HT News Desk

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India on Thursday honoured the valour of soldiers who took part in Operation Sindoor, a mission that struck terror and military targets deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir three months ago. President Droupadi Murmu approved a slew of wartime honours, including 127 gallantry medals, for these heroes on the eve of the 79th Independence Day.

Indian soldiers march before the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Red Fort. (Money Sharma/AFP)

The awards list, announced by the defence ministry, includes 127 gallantry medals and 40 distinguished service decorations: four Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras, 16 Shaurya Chakras, two Bars to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 58 Sena Medals (Gallantry), six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), 26 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), seven Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals, nine Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, and 24 Yudh Seva Medals.

Here's the full list of awardees:

Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal – Strategic leadership (7 top officers)

Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma – Northern Army Commander

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai – Director General Military Operations

Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh – Former FOC-in-C Western Naval Command

Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari – Vice Chief of Air Staff

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor – AOC-in-C South Western Air Command

Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra – AOC-in-C Western Air Command

Air Marshal A. K. Bharti – Director General Air (Ops)

Vir Chakra (Third-highest wartime gallantry award)

Indian Air Force (9 officers)

Group Captain Ranjeet Singh Sidhu

Group Captain Manish Arora

Group Captain Animesh Patni

Group Captain Kunal Kalra

Wing Commander Joy Chandra

Squadron Leader Sarthak Kumar

Squadron Leader Siddhant Singh

Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik

Flight Lieutenant Aarshveer Singh Thakur

Indian Army (4 personnel)

Colonel Koshank Lamba (302 Medium Regiment)

Lieutenant Colonel Sushil Bisht (1988 Medium Battery)

Naib Subedar Satish Kumar (4 Dogra)

Rifleman Sunil Kumar (4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry)

Ministry of Home Affairs (BSF)

Sub-Inspector Mohd Imteyaj

Constable Deepak Chingakham

Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) – Indian Air Force

Group Captain Ankur Hakim

Group Captain Manav Bhatia

Group Captain Yasir Faruqi

Group Captain Varun Bhoj

Group Captain Anuraj Singh Minhas

Group Captain Omar Browne, VM

Group Captain Deepak Chauhan

Group Captain Kunal Vishwas Shimpi

Wing Commander Rupak Roy

Wing Commander Devendra Babasaheb Autade

Wing Commander Mayank Paliwal

Wing Commander Deepak Dogra

Wing Commander Ravinder Kumar

Wing Commander Adarsh Gupta

Wing Commander Abhay Singh Bhadoria

BSF Gallantry Medal (GM) – 16 personnel

Sub-Inspector Vyas Dev

Constable Suddi Rabha

Assistant Commandant Abhishek Srivastav

Head Constable Brij Mohan Singh

Constable Bhpendra Bajpai

Constable Rajan Kumar

Constable Basavaraja Shivappa Sunkada

Constable Depeswar Barman

Assistant Commandant Alok Negi

Constable Kandarpa Chowdhury

Constable Waghmare Bhawan Deora

Deputy Commandant Ravindra Rathore

Inspector Devi Lal

Head Constable Sahib Singh

Constable Kanwaraj Singh

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