Three Army personnel and one Indian Air Force (IAF) officer were among nine Shaurya Chakra awards announced on the eve of Independence Day.
“President Ram Nath Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, has approved 84 awards and decorations to the armed forces personnel and members of the paramilitary forces,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The awards include one Kirti Chakra, nine Shaurya Chakras, 65 Sena Medals (Gallantry), four Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
The President has also approved 19 Mention-in-Despatches to the Army Personnel for their significant contributions in different military operations, which include eight posthumous for ‘Operation Meghdoot’ and ‘Operation Rakshak’.
The Shaurya Chakra awardees are Lt. Col. K.S. Rawat from the Para Special Forces, Maj. Anil Urs from the Maratha Light Infantry and Havildar Alok Kumar Dubey from the Rajput Regiment and with 44 Rashtriya Rifles and Wg Cdr Vishak Nair. Lt. Col. Rawat and Maj. Urs were awarded for their actions in foiling infiltration on the Line of Control (LoC).
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Hav Dubey was awarded for his actions during counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley on June 22, 2019. A cordon and search operation was launched in an orchards near a village in Jammu and Kashmir in which Hav Dubey, using tactical proficiency, assisted the Company Commander in laying the initial cordon, the Army said in a statement.
Hav Dubey was deployed as stop in inner cordon and at 5:45 a.m., he observed a group of terrorists trying to break cordon by taking advantage of poor visibility and thickly vegetated terrain. “Upon challenging, the terrorists lobbed a grenade and opened indiscriminate fire. Displaying raw courage, Hav Alok closed in to the group of terrorists and killed one terrorist at close range with aimed fire,” the Army said.
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After that, he further crawled, blocking the escape route of the terrorists and pinning down the terrorists with fire allowing further tightening of the cordon. “His courageous action prevented the escape of the terrorists and eventual elimination of all the four terrorists,” the Army added.
From the Navy, Capt Mrigank Sheokand , a MiG-29K pilot, was awarded Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) for saving numerous civilian lives on the ground by steering his aircraft that suffered a bird hit to a barren land before ejecting with the trainee pilot.
