Operation Sindoor Heroes Receive Top Gallantry Awards

NEW DELHI- The Indian government has conferred gallantry awards upon several military officials for their role in Operation Sindoor, which involved hitting terror and military targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir three months ago.

The awards, which will be formally given during Independence Day celebrations on August 15, recognize their bravery and valor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent retaliatory strikes.

Among the 127 gallantry medals and 40 distinguished service awards cleared by the President on the eve of the 79th Independence Day are four Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras, 16 Shaurya Chakras, two bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 58 Sena Medals (Gallantry), six Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), 26 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), seven Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals, nine Uttam Yudh Seva Medals and 24 Yudh Seva Medals, the Defense Ministry said.

Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime honour, has been awarded to soldiers who demonstrated valor during Operation Sindoor, India’s direct military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike.

The Vir Chakra awardees are Colonel Koshank Lamba, Lieutenant Colonel Sushil Bisht, Naib Subedar Satish Kumar,Rifleman Sunil Kumar, Group Captain Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Group Captain Manish Arora, Group Captain Animesh Patni,Group Captain Kunal Kalra, Wing Commander Joy Chandra, Squadron Leader Sarthak Kumar, Squadron Leader Siddhant Singh, Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik, Flight Lieutenant Aarshveer Singh, BSF Sub Inspector Mohd Imteyaz (Posthumous) and Constable Deeapk Chingakham (Posthumous). All the Indian Air Force (IAF) Vir Chakra awardees are pilots.

The Kirti Chakras and Shaurya Chakras—India’s second and third-highest peacetime gallantry awards—are not linked to Operation Sindoor. The Kirti Chakra has been awarded to Captain Lalrinawwa Sailo, Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari, Lance Naik Meenatchi Sundaram A and Sepoy Janjal Pravin Prabhakar.

The Defence Ministry did not release the citations of the military awardees.

The bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry) and Sena Medals (Gallantry) have been awarded for both Operation Sindoor and counter-terrorism operations, according to people aware of the matter who asked not to be named. For the first time, two Agniveers have been awarded Sena Medal (Gallantry).

The Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals, Uttam Yudh Seva Medals and Yudh Seva Medals have also been awarded to soldiers for their role in Operation Sindoor, the people said.

The Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal awardees include Northern Army commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma,director general military operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, IAF vice chief Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari,South Western Air Command chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, Western Air Command chief Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, director general air operations Air Marshal AK Bharti and then Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Sanjay S Singh (retd).

The President also approved 290 Mention-in-Despatches.

Sons of former IAF chiefs among heroes

Among the Operation Sindoor heroes decorated with medals are the sons of two former IAF chiefs. The 26 IAF personnel awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) include Group Captain Omar Browne and Squadron Leader Mihir Vivek Chaudhari. Both of them are fighter pilots, like their fathers. While Omar is the son of Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne (retd), Mihir’s father Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari was the IAF chief until last year.(IANS)