Shaurya Chakra to 6 Army personnel, gallantry honours for others

On the eve of the Republic Day, six personnel of the Indian Army were awarded the Shaurya Chakra, the third-highest peacetime gallantry award in the country, in recognition of their distinguished service. Of them, five were awarded posthumously. According to the ministry of defence, the Indian Army received a total of 317 awards for the gallantry and distinguished service of its personnel. In addition to the six Shaurya Chakras, there were 19 Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), four Uttam Yudh Seva Medal.

Naib Subedar Sreejith M of the 17 Madras regiment was awarded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for killing a terrorist in an operation in July 2021 in Jammu & Kashmir while carrying out search operations. Havildar Anil Kumar Tomar of the Rajput Regiment was awarded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for killing two terrorists while leading a Combat Action Team in Jammu & Kashmir in December 2020.Havildar Kashiray Bammanalli of the Corps of Engineers was awarded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for killing a terrorist in an operation around an orchard in the Pulwama district of Jammu & Kashmir. The havildar had also saved the lives of his team members during the operation.

Havildar Pinku Kumar of the Jat Regiment was awarded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for killing a terrorist while blocking their escape route during an operation. He had seriously injured another terrorist before laying down his life. Sepoy Maruprolu Jaswanth Kumar Reddy was awarded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for killing a terrorist in a face-to-face gunfight in Jammu & Kashmir. He also saved the life of his team commander during the operation. Rifleman Rakesh Sharma of 5 Assam Rifles was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for killing two insurgents in an operation in Assam in July 2021.

Additionally, 10 Yudh Seva Medal (YSM) were conferred, along with 40 Sena Medal (distinguished), 77 Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), including three “Bar to VSM”, and 44 mention-in-dispatches, including three posthumous honours.al (UYSM), 33 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), and 84 Sena Medal (gallantry), including three "Bar to Sena Medal (gallantry) and four of them posthumous.