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Republic Day: President approves 384 gallantry awards, PVSM for Neeraj Chopra
The President will posthumously award Ashok Chakra to Assistant Sub Inspector Babu Ram of the Jammu and Kashmir Police at the Republic Day parade on Wednesday
President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday approved 384 gallantry awards and other military decorations for security forces personnel, including 12 Shaurya Chakras for soldiers who demonstrated exceptional courage during operations, the government said in a statement.
Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Subedar Neeraj Chopra -- the first Indian to win a gold in a track & field event at the Olympics -- of 4 Rajputana Rifles will be awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), a decoration usually given to three-star officers for distinguished service.
The President will posthumously award Ashok Chakra to Assistant Sub Inspector Babu Ram of the Jammu and Kashmir Police at the Republic Day parade on Wednesday, said officials familiar with the matter. Ashok Chakra is the country’s highest peace-time gallantry award.
Babu Ram killed three terrorists during an operation in Srinagar on August 29, 2020.
The President approved the top gallantry award for Babu Ram, who was from the Special Operations Group of JKP, on the eve of Independence Day 2021.
Three terrorists fired at a CRPF/police checkpoint in Srinagar and took shelter in the nearby Pantha-Chokh area. The security forces cordoned off the area and asked the terrorists to surrender. The terrorists, however, opened fire on the police party. In the ensuing encounter, the ASI not only shielded his colleague but killed all three terrorists in retaliatory fire before he succumbed to bullet injuries.
Shaurya Chakra is India’s third highest peacetime gallantry award. The award will be posthumously conferred on nine personnel.
The Shaurya Chakra awardees are Naib Subedar Sreejith M (posthumous), Havildar Anil Kumar Tomar (posthumous), Havildar Kashiray Bammanalli (posthumous), Havildar Pinku Kumar (posthumous), Sepoy Maruprolu Jaswanth Kumar Reddy (posthumous), Rifleman Rakesh Sharma, CRPF Deputy Commandant Dilip Malik, CRPF Assistant Commandant Anirudh Pratap Singh, CRPF Head Constable Ajeet Singh (posthumous), CRPF Constable Vikas Kumar (posthumous), CRPF Constable Purnanand (posthumous) and CRPF Head Constable Kuldeep Kumar Urawan (posthumous).
The 384 awards approved by the President on the eve of 73rd Republic Day include 29 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 53 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 13 Yudh Seva Medals, three Bar to Vishisht Seva Medals, 122 Vishisht Seva Medals, three Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 81 Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), 40 Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), eight Nao Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), and 14 Vayu Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty).
On August 7 last year in Tokyo, Chopra became the first Indian to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field. Chopra hurled the javelin to 87.58m at Tokyo’s National Stadium to achieve the feat in his maiden Games. The 24-year-old was only the second Indian after shooter Abhinav Bindra to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics. Bindra’s gold came in 2008 in Beijing.
In Tokyo, Chopra qualified for the finals with his first attempt of 86.65m. The Haryana athlete was irrepressible on the final day. In only his second attempt (87.58m), he broke away from the field that included the event favourite Johannes Vetter of Germany, the 2017 world champion who held the season’s best of 97.76m. Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic won the silver medal with a throw of 86.67m.
Chopra, the 2016 world junior champion, was also awarded country’s highest sporting honor Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award after his golden feat last year.
Chopra, who is training in the United States, said he was delighted to be named for the awards. “I am very happy to know about PVSM and Padma Shri. I am thankful for everybody’s wishes and support. I have just arrived at the centre here for my morning training session. I will continue with my hard work and try giving good performances for my country. I congratulate all award winners,” Chopra said in a video message from his training base at Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center at San Diego, California, where is being accompanied by his coach Klaus Bartoneitz.
