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Shaurya Chakra to officer who led raid on ultras near Myanmar border
Lieutenant Colonel Ghatage Aditya Shrikumar received the Shaurya Chakra for leading a successful strike against militants on the India-Myanmar border.
An army officer who led a a precision strike against militants along the India-Myanmar border last year has been awarded Shaurya Chakra, India’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award, officials aware of the matter said on Monday.
Lieutenant Colonel Ghatage Aditya Shrikumar of 21 Para (Special Forces) planned and led the mission during July 11-13, which resulted in the complete destruction of a fortified militant camp and elimination of nine armed cadres including senior leadership of a notorious anti-national group through exemplary leadership and tactical brilliance, the officials said.
This is the first official acknowledgment of the operation conducted along the India-Myanmar border last year.
On Sunday, President Droupadi Murmu approved gallantry awards to 70 armed forces personnel, including one Ashoka Chakra, three Kirti Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry), six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
On Monday, Murmu awarded the country’s highest peacetime gallantry medal, Ashoka Chakra, to Indian astronaut and fighter pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who served as pilot for the historic Axiom Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) last year. The awards included a Kirti Chakra for Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, who was the backup pilot for the space mission. Only Ashoka Chakra and top wartime honour Param Vir Chakra are awarded at the Republic Day parade.
The other Kirti Chakra awardees include Major Arshdeep Singh and Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba.
Last year, Singh led a special patrol along the Indo-Myanmar Border that came under sudden and unprovoked fire from a dominating height. He fearlessly assaulted the position through dense undergrowth and, despite intense enemy fire, neutralised multiple armed cadres, ensuring zero casualties to his own troops through exceptional leadership, gallantry and resolve, the officials said. Subba has been awarded the medal for heroism in counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
