Independence Day: Rare military honour for 7 top officers for Operation Sindoor; 9 Vir Chakra for IAF pilots

The Union government also announced four Kirti Chakra – the second highest peacetime gallantry awards – and 16 Shaurya Chakra. All the Kirti Chakra winners are from the army.

New Delhi: Seven top officials of the armed forces including four from the Indian Air Force on Thursday were selected for Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM) – a rare and distinguished honour – for the role they played during Operation Sindoor.

In addition, President Droupadi Murmu also announced Vir Chakras – India’s third highest wartime gallantry award – for nine Indian Air Force pilots.

The Vir Chakra awardees are Group Captains Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Manish Arora, Animesh Patni and Kunal Kalra; Wing Commanders Joy Chandra; Squadron Leaders Sarthak Kumar, Siddhant Singh and Rizwan Malik: and Flight Lieutenant Aarshveer Singh Thakur.

The pilots participated in Indian strikes across the border targeting the terror infrastructure as well Pakistani military establishment during the strike on the LeT and JeM headquarters deep inside Pakistan and subsequent conflict during which Pakistani attacks were thwarted by India's air defence systems like S-400 and Aakash missiles.

The President also approved six Vir Chakras to bravehearts from the Indian Army (4) and Central Armed Police Forces (2).

The announcement comes days after IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said at least six Pakistani aircraft were shot down during the India-Pak confrontation in May.

The critical role played by senior officials involved in planning and supervising the operation were recognised with SYSM.

The IAF recipients are Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwair, Vice Chief of the IAF; Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, AOC-in-C of the Western Air Command; Air Marshal Awadhesh Bharti, Director General Air Operation at IAF headquarters and Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, AOC-in-C of the South Western Air Command.

From the India Army, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, GOC-in-C of the Northern Command and Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operation were the recipients.

The lone recipient from the Indian Navy was Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, the former FOC-in-C of the Western Naval Command during the four-day intense India-Pakistan confrontation in May. Vice Admiral Singh retired on July 31.

The SYSM – wartime equivalent to Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) for distinguished service – is a rare decoration that has been given only three times so far.

The previous winners are Lt Gen AS Kalkat, who was the overall commander of the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka; Air Marshal Vinod Patney, the Western Air Commander and Lt Gen H M Khanna, the Northern Army Commander during the Kargil War.

The President also approved four Kirti Chakra – the second highest peacetime gallantry awards – and 16 Shaurya Chakra. All the Kirti Chakra winners are from the army.

In total 127 Gallantry awards and 40 Distinguished Service awards were announced for the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on the eve of the Independence Day.

The award list also includes two Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry); 58 Sena Medals (Gallantry); six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry); 26 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry); nine Uttam Yudh Seva Medals and 24 Yudh Seva Medals.

Director General Naval Operation A N Pramod, who along with Lt Gen Ghai and Air Marshal Bharti gave briefings on India’s war fighting during Op Sindoor was a recipient of Yudh Sena Medal.

Operation Sindoor will be the theme of the 79th Independence Day celebration at the historic Red Fort on Friday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation. One of the IAF Mi-17 helicopters will carry a flag on Op Sindoor while the invitation cards, floral decoration and view cutters will carry the operation’s logo.