By IANS,
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil has approved the award of the Ashok Chakra, the highest gallantry award in peacetime, to 9 security personnel who laid down their lives fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, Mumbai and New Delhi.
These are part of the 428 gallantry and other defence decorations to armed forces personnel and others on the occasion of the country’s 60th Republic Day, it was announced Sunday.
Patil will Monday present the 11 Ashok Chakras, including two announced on Aug 15, 2008 for Assistant Commandant Pramod Kumar Satapathy of the Orissa Armed Police (posthumous), and R.P. Diengdoh of the Meghalaya Police (posthumous) at Rajpath before the start of the Republic Day parade.
Posthumous Ashok Chakras will also be conferred on Col. Jojan Thomas and Havildar Bahadur Singh Bohra of the Indian Army; National Security Guard (NSG) commandos Maj. Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Gajender Singh; Maharashtra Police officials Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar and Tukaram Gopal Ombale; and Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, a defence ministry statement Sunday said.
The army personnel had died fighting terrorists in Kashmir, while the NSG commandos and the Mumbai police officers died during the Nov 26-29 terror attack on India’s commercial capital that claimed the lives of over 170 people, including 26 foreigners, and injured over 300.
Sharma died during a gunfight with terrorists who were suspected to have staged a series of bomb blasts in the national capital in September.
The President has also approved the award of 13 Kirti Chakras, 30 Shaurya Chakras, 91 Sena Medals (Gallantry), one Bar to Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), four Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), one Bar to Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), 29 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, two Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, one Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 50 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, five Yudh Seva Medals, two Bar to Vishisht Seva Medals, 122 Vishisht Seva Medals, one Bar to Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 40 Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), eight Nao Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty) and 14 Vayu Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty).
The recipients of the Kirti Chakra, the second highest gallantry award in peacetime, are Lt. Col. Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, Lt. Col. Osiris Das, Capt. Zala Ajitkumar Arshibhai, Capt. Paras Limboo, Subedar Indra Bahadur Pun, Havildar Rale Santosh Tanaji, Naik Tape Yajo (Posthumous), Nitya Nanda Bora (Posthumous), Sapper V. Sathish, Arun Raghonath Chitte (Posthumous), Ambadas Ramchandra Powar (Posthumous), Sashank Chandrasen Shinde (Posthumous) and Mukesh Bhikaji Jadhav, (Posthumous).