The Kirti Chakra, the second-highest peacetime gallantry award in the country, will be awarded to four personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force who were killed in action during an anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh in April 2021.
Eleven personnel — nine from the Army and one each from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF — will receive the Shaurya Chakra, the third-highest peacetime gallantry award. Five of them have been named posthumously.
These are among the 76 gallantry awards for armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel approved by President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, the eve of the 77th Independence Day.
The awards include 54 Sena Medals (Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
“The President has also approved 30 Mention-in-Despatches to the Army, including to Army dog Madhu (Posthumous), and one to Air Force for their significant contributions in different military operations,” it said.
The posthumous recipients of the Kirti Chakra are Dilip Kumar Das, Raj Kumar Yadava, Bablu Rabha and Sambha Roy.
The operations include Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Casualty Evacuation, Operation Mount Chomo, Operation Pangsau Pass, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Orchid, Operation Kalisham Valley, Rescue Operation and Operation Evacuation, the statement said.
The President also approved one President’s Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) and five Tatrakshak Medals (TM) to Indian Coast Guard personnel for their act of conspicuous gallantry, exceptional devotion to duty and distinguished/meritorious service. This also includes Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry) awarded to Commandant Anurag Shukla and Sultan Singh, Pradhan Navik.
