acts of gallantry Recognised Operation Sindoor bravehearts awarded

 

 

 

INDIA on Thursday recognised the acts of gallantry by the Armed Forces personnel and the role of senior military brass involved in the planning and execution of Operation Sindoor in its annual list of military honours on the eve of 79th Independence Day. (Continuations) Indian Air Force pilots involved in the strikes on terror infrastructure and military installations in Pakistan as well as those manning the S-400 air defence systems, which played a critical role during the May 7 to 10 hostilities between the two countries were among those conferred the coveted awards. Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, Indian Army’s DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma are among top military officers conferred Sarvottam Yudh Seva medal. Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor and Air Marshal Jeetendra Misra, heading the South Western Air Command and the Western Air Command respectively have also been conferred Sarvottam Yudh Seva medal. Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, who as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of Western Naval Command, played a critical role in deployment of naval assets following the Pahalgam attack, has also been named for Sarvottam Yudh Seva medal.

 

Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, who also played a major role in finalising the Navy’s deployment strategy in the aftermath of the Pahalgam strike, has been conferred Uttam Yudh Seva medal. As many as nine fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force have been conferred prestigious Vayu Chakra. Sixteen Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have been awarded gallantry medals for displaying “conspicuous bravery” and “unmatched valour” during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. Sub-Inspector Vyas Dev, who lost his left leg after a Pakistani mortar shell fell at his border post, has been awarded, along with Constable Suddi Rabha, for undertaking a “risk-prone” mission to replenish ammunition to forward deployed troops during the operation. Dev’s citation said he “suffered life-threatening injuries, but he remained conscious, stabilised himself and bravely engaged in his given task, motivated his fellow soldiers and exhibited tremendous courage”. Rabha stood “shoulder-to-shoulder” with his commander (Dev) and refused to yield despite suffering grievous injuries.

 

Another unit commanded by under-probation Assistant Commandant Abhishek Srivastav was deployed at the highly sensitive border post at Kharkola in Jammu, only 200 metres from the IB. On May 10, Srivastav along with his troops -- Head Constable Brij Mohan Singh and Constables Depeswar Barman, Bhupendra Bajpai, Rajan Kumar and Basavaraja Shivappa Sunkada -- engaged a swarm of Pakistani drones and neutralised them, but one UAV dropped a mortar shell in their bunker. Sub-Inspector Mohammed Imteyaj and Constable Deepak Chingakham were killed in this action. They are expected to be decorated with military medals for bravery posthumously. Another unit under Deputy Commandant Ravindra Rathore, Inspector Devi Lal, Head Constable Sahib Singh and Constable Kanwaraj Singh displayed “exceptional courage” and “operational brilliance” under intense pressure and saved the life of a fellow jawan “whose life was in peril”. Assistant Sub-Inspector Udai Vir Singh was deployed at the Jabowal border post in Jammu and he destroyed a Pakistani surveillance camera amid “intense” enemy fire at his location. Despite suffering a life-threatening sharpnel wound to his upper lip, Singh refused evacuation and went on to destroy a Pakistani “heavy machine gun nest (post)”, his citation stated. ASI Rajappa BT and Constable Manohar Xalxo undertook a “high risk” mission at border post Karotana Khurd in Jammu on May 10 when the said post reported “critical shortage” of automatic grenade launcher ammunition.

 

While replenishing the ammunition, a mortar shell fell on the magazine and the two suffered grievous injuries, but they ensured completion of their task. Assistant Commandant Alok Negi, along with two of his troops, executed “relentless and accurate” mortar fire on enemy positions for 48 hours and their “fearless” conduct ensured zero casualties and maintained operational dominance, according to the citation. The Government also announced gallantry medals for other police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel, who undertook other operations. This includes 128 for Jammu and Kashmir Police, 20 for the CRPF and 14 for Chhattisgarh Police. President Droupadi Murmu approved 127 Gallantry awards and 40 Distinguished Service awards to the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police forces personnel on the eve of Independence Day. These include four Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras, 16 Shaurya Chakras, two Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 58 Sena Medals (Gallantry), six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and 26 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry). The awards also included seven Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals, nine Uttam Yudh Seva Medals and 24 Yudh Seva Medals. The President has also approved 290 Mention-in-Despatches, out of which 115 are from the Indian Army, five from the Indian Navy, and 167 are from the Indian Air Force.