JOIN USThe government has chosen to decorate the commandos who carried out the cross-border surgical strike in Pakistan in September during the Republic Day celebrations on Thursday.
Two senior generals it ignored for the army chief’s position also figured in the list of military awardees for gallantry and distinguished services.
Officials refused to individually identify those who participated in the surgical strike among the 34 soldiers from 4 Para and 9 Para – two Special Force units selected for the awards in different categories.
Twelve of those commandos were selected for their part in Operation Rakshak (security engagements in Jammu and Kashmir) and Operation Rhino (security drills in the north east). This means at least 20 commandos from the two units feature in the awards list.
Maj Rohit Suri from 4 Para and Hav Prem Bahadur Resmi Magar from 3/1 Gorkha Rifles would be decorated with Kirti Chakra – the nation's second highest peacetime gallantry award. Magar would receive it posthumously. No one has been awarded the highest honour of Ashok Chakra.
Ten bravehearts, including five from these two Special Force units, would receive Shaurya Chakra for their gallantry in field operations. One of them, Naik Pandurang Mahadev Gawade from Maratha Light Infantry would receive it posthumously.
DH News Service
Award for 3 sailors, 4 IAF men
Two sailors who died on board two aircraft carriers are among the three gallantry award winners from the Navy, reports DHNS from New Delhi.
Mechanical engineer Ashu Singh was killed in March 2016 in a fire incident in the boiler room of INS Viraat while trying to safeguard other portions of the carrier, whereas sailor Rakesh Kumar died on board INS Vikramaditya in June as he tried to save a civilian contract worker.
The third winner of the Nao Sena (gallantry) award is Lt Cdr Neeraj Kumar, who was chosen for leading a team of four men in saving a merchant vessel from sinking in the Arabian Sea in the middle of the monsoon season when the sea was rough and the ship was pitch dark.
Four men from the Indian Air Force also won the Vayu Sena medals.