Galwan heroes got Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Sena Medal for bravery

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Galwan heroes got Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Sena Medal for bravery

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in

The President has approved awards of 455 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others on the eve of 72^ndRepublic Day celebrations. These include one Mahavir Chakra, 05 Kirti Chakras, 05 Vir Chakras, 07 Shaurya Chakras, 04 Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry),130 Sena Medal (Gallantry), one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 04 Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), 30 Param VishishtSeva Medal (PVSM), 04 UttamYudhSeva Medal (UYSM), 51 AtiVishishtSeva Medal (AVSM), 11 YudhSeva Medal (YSM), 03 Bar to Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty),43 Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) including 02 COVID Warriors, 08 Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 14 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 03 Bar to VishishtSeva Medal (VSM) including one COVID Warrior and 131 VishishtSeva Medal (VSM) including 12 COVID Warriors.

Colonel Santosh Babu, who was among the 20 soldiers that died in the line of duty in brutal hand-to-hand combat with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on June 15 last year, has been awarded with the second highest wartime gallantry honour, the Maha Vir Chakra, for showing “conspicuous bravery in face of enemy, exemplary leadership and astute professionalism.”

“Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu, Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar deployed in Galwan Valley (Eastern Ladakh) during Operation Snow Leopard, was tasked to establish an observation post in face of the enemy. Organising and briefing his troops about the situation with a sound plan, he successfully executed the task. While holding the position his column faced stiff resistance from the adversary who attacked using lethal and sharp weapons along with heavy stone pelting from adjoining heights,” his citation for the award read.

Five other soldiers have been awarded Vir Chakra who displayed outstanding courage during the Galwan Valley skirmish with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army have been awarded war-time gallantry awards.

The VrC awardees are Naib Subedar Nuduram Soren (16 Bihar) (posthumous), Havildar K Palani (81 Field) (P), Havildar Tejinder Singh (3 Medium), Naik Deepak Singh (16 Bihar) (P) and Sepoy Gurtej Singh (3 Punjab) (P).

Sepoy Gurtej Singh, 23-year old soldier who killed 12chinese army men during Galwan valley clash.

Subedar Sanjiv Kumar has been posthumously awarded with the Kirti Chakra, the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra.

Apart from 16 Bihar, soldiers from 3 Punjab, 3 Medium Regiment and 81 Field Regiment were involved in the first deadly conflict between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in more than five decades.

Here is the list of Galwan Heroes who got bravery awards , posthumously: