President Ram Nath Kovind has approved 132 gallantry awards to armed forces personnel and members of paramilitary forces including third highest gallantry award, Vir Chakra for Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a PAF F-16 during the dogfight on February 27.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Deputy Commandant Harshpal Singh has been awarded Kirti Chakra for his role in a counter-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir in which three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed.
Sapper Prakash Jadhav, from the Corps of Engineers, first Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), has also been awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously.
Jadhav was martyred during a counter-terrorist operation in Jammu-Kashmir on November 27, 2018.
"Sapper Prakash Jadhav made supreme sacrifice of his life in true traditions of the Indian Army. For this act of courage beyond the call of duty and conspicuous gallantry Sapper Prakash Jadhav is recommended for the award of "Kirti Chakra (posthumous)," his citation reads.
Six Navy personnel have been awarded gallantry awards including one Shaurya Chakra for Marine Commando Amit Singh Rana for his role in two operations in Jammu and Kashmir in which eight terrorists were killed.
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Five others have also been awarded the Nao Sena Medal for Gallantry.
A total of 14 people have been awarded Shaurya Chakra including eight Armymen -- Lieutenant Colonel Ajay Singh Kushwah, Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal (posthumous), Captain Maheshkumar Bhure, Lance Naik Sandeep Singh (posthumous), Sepoy Brajesh Kumar (posthumous), Sepoy Hari Singh (posthumous), Rifleman Ajveer Singh Chauhan, and Rifleman Shive Kumar (posthumous).
The others who have been awarded Shaurya Chakra are SD Shriram (CRPF), Zakir Hussain (CRPF), Ashiq Hussain Malik (Special Police Official, posthumous), Subhash Chander, and Imran Hussain Tak.
"President Ram Nath Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has approved 132 awards to armed forces personnel and members of paramilitary forces," said Defence Ministry in a release.
"The awards include two Kirti Chakras, one Vir Chakra, 14 Shaurya Chakras, eight Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 90 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), seven Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry) and five Yudh Seva Medals."
"Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has approved four Mention-in-Despatches to the Army Personnel for their significant contributions in different military operations which include one posthumous for 'Operation Anantnag Town'," the release further said.
The IAF officers involved in the planning of Balakot airstrikes have been conferred with Yudh Seva Medal. The pilots of the Mirage 2000 aircraft which carried out the attack have been awarded Vayu Sena Medal for Gallantry.
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