New Delhi: On the eve of the 76th Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu approved two Kirti Chakras to be awarded to two Indian Army personnel for their bravery during operations in Jammu and Kashmir. This year, 93 armed forces and central armed forces personnel, including 11 posthumously, have been selected for the gallantry awards.
India’s second-highest gallantry award has been given to Major Manjit (22 Rashtriya Rifles) and posthumously to Naik Dilawar Khan (28 Rashtriya Rifles) for neutralising terrorists in the Sopore and Kupwara districts, respectively.
Shaurya Chakra, the third-highest gallantry award, has been awarded to 14 security personnel. Of these, nine are from the Army, two from the Air Force, one from the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) and two from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The President has also approved 305 members of the armed forces and other personnel for defence decorations.
Major Manjit of Punjab Regiment
On 25 April last year, Major Manjit from the Punjab regiment, on receiving human intelligence on the presence of foreign terrorists in a village in the Sopore district, trailed their movements and set up an initial cordon after localising the probable target complex.
The terrorists made several attempts through the night to break the cordon. In the early hours of 26 April 2024, taking advantage of the low light and the natural cover of the area, one of the terrorists entered an adjoining orchard.
The officer, taking the cover of a boundary wall leading to the orchard, succeeded in pinning down the terrorist and rescuing three civilians, including two children, from a cowshed to where the terrorist was heading.
Following this, under heavy fire from the terrorists, Manjit crawled in his direction. Even as the terrorist tried to lob a grenade at him, the Punjab regiment officer engaged him in a firefight and eliminated him.
Also Read: Modi & Indonesian President Prabowo talk defence cooperation, maritime security & enhancing trade
Naik Dilawar Khan of Artillery Regiment
The Artillery Regiment officer was part of an ambush in the dense jungles of Lolab Valley, Kupwara district on 23 July last year.
Just before midnight that day, Naik Dilawar Khan’s party spotted two terrorists. They fired at the closer one, who turned around to charge at them.
Khan, under heavy volume of fire, lunged and grasped the terrorist, engaging him in hand-to-hand combat as the other terrorist continued to fire indiscriminately.
The officer killed the terrorist by firing at him point-blank before succumbing to his injuries.
Bravery in Manipur
Assistant Commandant Eshenthung Kikon (4 Assam Rifles) and Subedar Mohan Ram (20th Battalion of the Jat Regiment) were awarded the Shaurya Chakra for their bravery in the northeastern state of Manipur, where ethnic violence has been raging since 2023.
Assistant Commandant Eshenthung Kikon
Since 30 July 2024, the column under Company Commander Assistant Commandant Eshenthung Kikon has been part of a special recce team, tracking miscreant activity near a ‘sensitive area’ in Manipur after inputs from sources.
On 5 August, 2024, 12 armed miscreants were spotted, engaging in extortion in a nearby area. Kikon and his column engaged the miscreants, which turned into a close hand-to-hand combat. During the confrontation, one armed cadre fired a Light Machine Gun at the troops.
In response, Kikon fired a round upon the armed cadre, resulting in a non-fatal gunshot wound to the cadre’s right elbow and rendering him unable to operate the automatic weapon.
Kikon and his team overpowered and apprehended all 12 cadres and recovered five weapons, along with a huge quantity of ammunition and war-like stores.
Subedar Mohan Ram
Subedar Mohan Ram and his column have been deployed to a ‘sensitive village’ in Manipur since January 2024. He is the second-in-command of the column.
On 13 February last year, two villages close to the location were the target of a coordinated attack by miscreants.
A party of the Indian Army, along with Mohan and his column, was rushed to save one of the villages under attack. At the time, the place was surrounded by miscreants. Subedar Ram, under heavy fire, led his column into the village to begin a rescue of the villagers who were trapped and were hiding in bushes.
During the rescue, the junior commissioned officer sustained a gunshot wound, but continued to lead his party despite the injury. The officer refused to be evacuated till the operation was complete, ensuring the rescue of 38 locals.
Exemplary situational awareness
Among the Shaurya Chakra awardees of the Indian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant Aman Singh Hans has been commended for prompt actions and exemplary situational awareness, preventing a flight test from turning catastrophic.
As part of Exercise Gagan Shakti-2024, on 28 March last year, the officer was flying a long-range ferry mission on MiG-29 aircraft under the cover of night. About 20 minutes in, at an altitude of 8.5 km, the canopy flew off and the Head Up Display and visual references went blank.
He was exposed to severe weather conditions, with temperatures of minus 35° to 40° Celsius, the dangers of decompression sickness, hypoxia, and the wind as a result of the high speeds obscuring his vision.
He maintained his composure. He first announced the emergency, using standby radio control, and keeping clear of the civil area in proximity, he descended to an altitude of 3 km with no radio reception.
He conveyed the flight information to the controlling agencies and made the quick decision to land at the nearest airbase. Correctly assessing the aircraft weight required for landing due to heavy fuel configuration, he safely landed the MiG-29.
His prompt actions led to the recovery of the aircraft which otherwise could have led to the loss of an IAF asset and caused collateral damage to civilian property.
He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the flying branch of the IAF on 15 January 2019.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
Also Read: Homegrown ALH, the chopper involved in Porbandar crash, won’t be part of Republic Day flypast