President Draupadi Murmu approved 4 Kirti Chakras, three posthumous, and 18 Shaurya Chakras, four posthumous for armed forces and Central Armed Forces on Independence Day 2024.
These are among the 103 Gallantry awards approved by the President, which also include 1 Bar to Sena Medal, 63 Sena Medals, 11 Nao Sena Medal and 6 Vayu Sena Medals.
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Kirti Chakra: the second highest peacetime Gallantry award
The Kirti Chakra is the second most important gallantry award given away from the battlefield. The Award is less in precedence only to the Ashoka Chakra. On the eve of 78th Independence Day, the Kirti Chakra is being awarded to Colonel Manpreet Singh of 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Rifleman Ravi Kumar from J&K Light Infantry regiment of 63 RR, Deputy Superintendent of J&K Police Himayun Muzzammil Bhat of 19 RR, with Major Malla Ram Gopal Naidu from Maratha Light Infantry regiment of 56 RR being the only living recipient.
The majority of the personnel feted by the country had shown courage and leadership in anti-terror operations – an area that has once again become active, as daily encounters are reported from Jammu and Kashmir which is facing a surge in terrorist violence.
Shaurya Chakra and other Gallantry awards
The Shaurya Chakra is the third level award for gallantry away from the battlefield and, the nearest equivalent of the Vir Chakra for peacetime. On Independence Day eve 2024, the Shaurya Chakra is awarded to Major Tripatpreet Singh of 34 RR, Major Sahil Randhawa of 34 RR, Subedar Sanjeev Singh Jasrotia of 5 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, Major CVS Nikhil of 21 Para (Special Forces), Colonel Pawan Singh of 666 Army Aviation Squadron (R&O) along with others.
The recipients include those from the Indian Navy, two each are officers while one of them is a non-officer IAF personnel and five belong to Central Reserve Police Force. Among those, who had been conferred the earlier award of Shaurya Chakra posthumously are two CRPF personnel out of a total 18 medal winners. Major Aashish Dhonchak and Sepoy Pardeep Singh are posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra, who sacrificed their lives during an operation in Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir.
A total of 39 Mention-in-Despatches are been awarded that includes a posthumous award to Army Dog Kent, who was instrumental in locating six operations — Operation Rakshak, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid, Operation Snow leopard; Operation Sahayata, and Operation Katchal.
1 Bar to Sena Medal, 63 Sena Medals, 11 Nao Sena Medal and 6 Vayu Sena Medals are also awarded.
Details of Gallantry Awardees
Here’s all about the major Chakra award winners:
The President of India will be presenting the awards on 78th Independence Day.
