6 Kirti Chakras, 16 Shaurya Chakras in Republic Day awards list
Three of the Kirti Chakras and two of the Shaurya Chakras will be awarded posthumously. These awards are equivalent to the wartime Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra, respectively
New Delhi: President Draupadi Murmu on Thursday approved 391 gallantry awards and other decorations for armed forces personnel, with the honours including six Kirti Chakras and 16 Shaurya Chakras, the country’s second and third highest awards for uncommon courage during peacetime, the defence ministry said in a statement on the eve of 75th Republic Day.
Three of the Kirti Chakras and two of the Shaurya Chakras will be awarded posthumously. These awards are equivalent to the wartime Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra, respectively.
The Kirti Chakra awardees are Major Digvijay Singh Rawat (21 Para-Special Forces), Major Deependra Vikram Basnet (4 Sikh), Captain Anshuman Singh (Army Medical Corps, 26 Punjab)(Posthumous), Havildar Pawan Kumar Yadav (21 Mahar), Havildar Abdul Majid (9 Para-Special Forces) (Posthumous) and Sepoy Pawan Kumar (Grenadiers, 55 Rashtriya Rifles) (Posthumous).
The Kirti Chakra citations highlight the heroism of the soldiers in challenging circumstances.
Major Basnet led an operation which resulted in the elimination of several hardcore terrorists along the Line of Control. He was the commander of an ambush team deployed in the Keren sector of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir in June 2023. The ambush was planned following intelligence regarding the likely infiltration by a group of five terrorists. Basnet’s surveillance team spotted the terrorists and provided him early warning.
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“Showing outstanding presence of mind in a high-pressure situation, he quickly re-adjusted his troops to trap the terrorists. The leading terrorist, firing indiscriminately, threw grenades at the major and his team. Realising the grave danger to his men and unmindful of his own safety, the officer crawled towards the terrorist amidst heavy fire and killed him at a close range. In the ensuing firefight, he came face to face with a second terrorist. He engaged this terrorist in fierce hand-to-hand combat and killed him with his combat knife,” Basnet’s citation said.
The operation led to the elimination of five heavily armed foreign terrorists.
Major Rawat’s citation said the officer tactfully manoeuvred his squad to engage terrorists during an operation in Manipur in early 2023, crawled to a flank eliminated one self-styled captain and injured another in a display of remarkable combat skills. During another operation last year, the officer received intelligence regarding infiltration by valley-based insurgent groups in a sensitive area.
“Using his knowledge of the area, he established a close-knit surveillance grid and successfully apprehended three senior cadres by physically overpowering them in close-quarter combat,” it added.
The Shaurya Chakra awardees are Major Maneo Francis PF (21 Para-Special Forces), Major Amandeep Jakhar (4 Sikh), Captain MV Pranjal (Signals, 63 Rashtriya Rifles) (Posthumous), Captain Akshat Upadhyay (20 Jat), Naib Subedar Baria Sanjay Kumar Bhamar Sinh (21 Mahar), Havildar Sanjay Kumar (9 Assam Rifles), Rifleman Alok Rao (18 Assam Rifles) (Posthumous) and Parshotam Kumar (Civilian c/o 63 Rashtriya Rifles), Lieutenant Bimal Ranjan Behera (Navy), Wing Commander Shailesh Singh (IAF), Flight Lieutenant Hrishikesh Jayan Karuthedath (IAF), DSP Mohan Lal (J&K Police), ASI Amit Raina (J&K Police), SI Faroz Ahmed Dar (J&K Police) and Constable Varun Singh (J&K Police).
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The other gallantry awards include 53 Sena Medals (Gallantry, including seven posthumous, four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry) and one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), the statement said.
The other awards approved by the President include 31 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, two Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 59 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 10 Yudh Seva Medals, eight Bar to Sena Medals (devotion to duty), 38 Sena Medals (devotion to duty), 10 Nao Sena Medals (devotion to duty), 14 Vayu Sena Medals (devotion to duty), five Bar to Vishisht Seva Medals and 130 Vishisht Seva Medals.
The President also approved 84 Mentioned-in-Despatches to armed forces personnel, including 10 posthumous. The Coast Guard has been awarded one President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service), two Tatrakshak Medals (Gallantry) and three Tatrakshak Medals (Meritorious Service).