Gallantry Awards: Shaurya Chakra for Malayali Major Tarun Vasudevan; 78 honoured
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu approved 78 gallantry awards to Defence Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on the eve of India's Independence Day, including 13 posthumous honours. The list of decorations comprises nine Kirti Chakras, 19 Shaurya Chakras, five Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 36 Sena Medals (Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Among the recipients of the Shaurya Chakra, India's third-highest peacetime gallantry award, is Malayali officer Major Tarun Vasudevan from the 57 Rashtriya Rifles.
The Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award after the Ashoka Chakra, was conferred upon nine personnel, seven of them posthumously. The living recipients of the Kirti Chakra are Lt Col Manoj Francis of 21 Para (Special Forces) and Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 Para (Special Forces).
The brave personnel posthumously conferred the Kirti Chakra include Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 Para (Special Forces); Head Constables Jagbir Singh and Bashir Ahmad; Constables Jaswant Singh, Balvinder Singh and Tariq Hussain and Inspector Sunil Kumar.
Apart from Major Tarun Vasudevan, the other recipients of the Shaurya Chakra are
- Major Paramveer (36 Rashtriya Rifles)
- Major Keshav Kumar (12 Dogra Regiment)
- Major Gaurav Singh Brijwal (21 Grenadiers)
- Major Vipeen Kumar (11 Rashtriya Rifles)
- Naib Subedar Shankar Ram (3 Assam Rifles)
- Naib Subedar Dabbal Singh Bisht (21 Para - Special Forces)
- Havildar Jagattar Singh (4 Para - Special Forces)
- Lance Naik Narender Sindhu (9 Rashtriya Rifles; Posthumous)
- Lance Naik Kapil Dev (11 Rashtriya Rifles)
- Sepoy Jaswinder Singh (7 Sikh Light Infantry)
- Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar (Indian Navy)
- Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar (Indian Air Force)
- Deputy Superintendent Dheeraj Singh Katoch
- Inspector Ajay Singh Chib
- Deputy Superintendent Sukhvir Singh
- Assistant Sub-Inspector Niyaz Ahmad
- Deputy Commandant Anjani Kumar
- Constable Deepak Sah
(With PTI inputs)