Independence Day gallantry awards: Slain Army Colonel, three others conferred Kirti Chakra

New Delhi: Indian Army’s Col Manpreet Singh who was killed last year in Jammu and Kashmir while fighting the terrorists is among the four recipients of the Kirti Chakra – the nation’s second highest peacetime gallantry award – awarded by the President Droupadi Murmu on the eve of the 78th Independence Day.

Other three Kirti Chakra recipients are Maj Malla Ram Gopal Naidu from Maratha Light Infantry regiment; Rifleman Ravi Kumar from Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry regiment and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Himayun Muzzammil Bhat.

Three of the four recipients – Singh, Kumar and Bhat – have been awarded posthumously, the Defence Ministry said here on Wednesday.

They are among 103 gallantry awards including 18 Shaurya Chakras and one Bar to Sena Medal awarded by the President. The list includes 63 Sena Medals, 11 Nao Sena Medals and six Vayu Sena Medals.

Col Singh who lost his life last September during an encounter in the forested hills of Anantnag district, DySP Bhat and Maj Aashish Dhonchak from Sikh Light Infantry regiment who received the Sahurya Chakra posthumously were part of the same anti-terror operation at Anantnag. Rifleman Kumar was part of another encounter in Rajouri around the same time.

The President also announced 39 Mention-in-Despatches which includes a posthumous award for the Army Dog Kent, who played a key role in six operations – Operation Rakshak; Operation Snow leopard; Operation Sahayata; Operation Hifazat; Operation Orchid and Operation Katchal.

The Shaurya Chakras recipients include two from the Indian Navy, two from the IAF and five from the Central Reserve Police Force. Four of the 18 medal winners including two from the CRPF have been awarded posthumously.

The SC winners from the navy include Capt Sharad Sinsunwal, the commanding officer of INS Kolkata which was associated with four major anti-piracy and missile attack incidents in the western sea board including rescuing of 17 hostages from MV Ruen in a dare devil mid-sea operation. The second winner is Lt Cdr Kapil Yadav who was posted in INS Visakhapatnam and played a key role in dousing a raging fire onboard MV Marlin Luanda.

From the IAF side, the SC awardees are Wing Commander Vernon Desmond Keane who managed to bring down a Jaguar combat jet successfully even after both engines stopped and Squadron Leader Deepak Kumar for successful belly landing of a Kiran aircraft with a trainee pilot onboard with minimum damage after an engine flame out at Hakimpet.