The President has also approved 89 Mention-in-Despatches, comprising 75 Army personnel, four Navy personnel and 10 Air Force personnel. Representational image.
| Photo Credit: PTI
President Droupadi Murmu has approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 posthumous honours, for personnel of the armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) on the eve of Independence Day.According to the Ministry of Defence, the awards include nine Kirti Chakras, seven of them posthumous; one Bar to Shaurya Chakra; 19 Shaurya Chakras, including one posthumous; five Bars to Sena Medals (Gallantry); 36 Sena Medals (Gallantry), including five posthumous; three Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry); and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).Among the recipients of the Kirti Chakra are Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis PF of 21 Para (Special Forces) and Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 Para (Special Forces). Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 Para (Special Forces) has been awarded the honour posthumously.Six personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and other forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs have also been awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously. They include Head Constables Jagbir Singh and Bashir Ahmad, Special Grade Constables Jaswant Singh, Balvinder Singh and Tariq Hussain, and Inspector Sunil Kumar of the Special Task Force.The Shaurya Chakra list includes several Army personnel serving with Rashtriya Rifles and Para (Special Forces) units. Major Paramveer of the Garhwal Rifles, Major Tarun Vasudevan of the Corps of Engineers and Major Keshav Kumar of 12 Dogra are among the awardees. Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar of the Navy and Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar of the Air Force have also been conferred the award.The President has also approved 89 Mention-in-Despatches, comprising 75 Army personnel, four Navy personnel and 10 Air Force personnel.The citations span a range of operations, including Operation Rakshak, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Chakravyuh, Operation Chetheba, Operation Khoj, Operation Talash and other operations.Among those recognised are personnel from the Army’s aviation, special forces, Rashtriya Rifles, Assam Rifles and other formations. An Army dog, Tyson, of the Remount Veterinary Corps, 2 Para (Special Forces), has also been included among the Mention-in-Despatches.The honours recognise acts of gallantry and distinguished service rendered by personnel during operations across different theatres and are announced annually ahead of Independence Day. Published - August 14, 2026 10:33 pm IST
