Nine personnel, six from the Army and three from Central Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), were awarded Shaurya Chakra, the third highest peacetime gallantry medal, on the occasion of the Republic Day. In all, the President approved 409 Gallantry and other defence decorations for the armed forces personnel.

Also, President’s Police Medal will be conferred on over 1,000 police personnel for gallantry and distinguished service. These include four President’s Police Medals for Gallantry; 286 Police Medals for Gallantry; 93 President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, and 657 Police Medal for Meritorious Service. In the list of police personnel listed for the honour, the Jammu & Kashmir Police has the maximum names at 108, followed by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at 76.

Squadron Leaders Siddharth Vashisht and Ninad Mandavgane, pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 helicopter that was accidentally shot down in Budgam on February 27 last year, were posthumously awarded Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry). Last October, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria acknowledged the helicopter crash was a case of friendly fire and was a “big mistake.”

On the morning of February 27, as fighters jets of India and Pakistan were engaged in a dogfight over Naushera sector, a day after the Balakot air strike, the Mi-17 crashed in Budgam shortly after take-off from Srinagar killing all six personnel onboard and one civilian on the ground. The Court of Inquiry ordered to investigate the crash confirmed that it was shot by Israeli origin ground based Spyder surface to air missile system of the IAF.

The Air Chief Marshal had also said disciplinary action will be taken action against two officers involved and those who lost their lives will be declared battle casualties.

Meanwhile, the overall list of awardees include nine Shaurya Chakras, 28 Param Vishisht Seva Medals(PVSM), four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 53 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals (AVSM), 10 Yudh Seva Medals, 123 Vishisht Seva Medals, four Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 107 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), four Bar to Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), 36 Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), eight Nao Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), one Bar to Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) and 13 Vayu Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty).

The six Shaurya Chakra awardees include Lt Colonel Jyoti Lama, Major Konjeng Bam Bijendra Singh, Naib Subedar Narender Singh, Naib Subedar Sombir (posthumous), Naik Naresh Kumar and Sepoy Karmedeo Oraon. While two officers including Lama and Bam Bijendra Singh were given the medal for their actions against militants in Manipur, the remaining awards were given to personnel for gallantry in Jammu & Kashmir last year. Northern Command chief Lt General Ranbir Singh was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal(PVSM).   

Lieutenant Colonel Jyoti Lama created a vibrant intelligence network in Manipur and after meticulous planning relentlessly led his team in apprehending fourteen hardcore terrorists.

Naib Subedar Sombir was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra. He was killed during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir in February last year. During the encounter, three hardcore terrorists were killed. One of them was a foreigner and an ‘A++’ category terrorist, and he was shot down by Sombir in a close quarter battle.

Major Bijendra Singh led a team through dense jungles and when pinned down by hostile fire from militants in Manipur dashed towards them and in the ensuing firefight killed two militants.

Naib Subedar Narender Singh, while deployed on the Line of Control(LOC), detected a team of infiltrators and chased them.  In the close quarter battle, he managed to kill two militants.

Naik Naresh Kumar, while deployed in a village in Jammu and Kashmir, came under heavy fire and sensing grave danger to his team led the assault killing one category A+ + militant.

Sepoy Karamdeo Oraon’s post on the LoC came under heavy fire from the enemy posts across the border. Some terrorists were also firing and in an effort to discourage them, the soldier took action and was hit in the chest and leg.  Unmindful of this, he rushed out of his bunker and fired at the terrorists killing two of them. He returned to the post and kept firing his light machine gun thereby averting danger to his post.