President Droupadi Murmu on July 5, 2024 conferred 10 Kirti Chakras, including seven posthumously, to personnel of the Indian Army and paramilitary forces for displaying indomitable courage and extraordinary valour in the line of duty.
The Kirti Chakra is India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award.
IMAGE: President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Kirti Chakra upon Captain Anshuman Singh, The Army Medical Corps, 26th Battalion The Punjab Regiment, posthumously.
Disregarding his own safety, Captain Anshuman exhibited exceptional bravery and resolve to rescue many people in a major fire incident. All photographs: Rashtrapati Bhavan
IMAGE: President Murmu conferred the Kirti Chakra upon Inspector/GD Dilip Kumar Das, 210 CoBRA, CRPF, posthumously.
During a joint operation in Chhattisgarh in April 2021, he displayed extraordinary gallantry and indomitable will and made supreme sacrifice for the nation while eliminating many Maoists.
IMAGE: President Murmu conferred the Kirti Chakra upon Head Constable/GD Raj Kumar Yadava, 210 CoBRA, CRPF, posthumously.
During a joint operation in Chhattisgarh in April 2021, he displayed extraordinary gallantry and indomitable will and made supreme sacrifice for the nation while eliminating many Maoists.
IMAGE: President Murmu conferred the Kirti Chakra upon Constable/GD Bablu Rabha, 210 CoBRA, CRPF, posthumously.
During a joint operation in Chhattisgarh in April 2021, he displayed extraordinary gallantry and indomitable will and made supreme sacrifice for the nation while eliminating many Maoists.
IMAGE: President Murmu conferred the Kirti Chakra upon Constable/GD Sambhu Roy, 210 CoBRA, CRPF, posthumously.
During a joint operation in Chhattisgarh in April 2021, he displayed extraordinary gallantry and indomitable will and made supreme sacrifice for the nation while eliminating many Maoists.
IMAGE: President Murmu conferred the Kirti Chakra upon Sepoy Pawan Kumar, The Grenadiers, 55th Battalion The Rashtriya Rifles, posthumously.
During an operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in February 2023, he displayed exceptional tactical acumen and operational composure; and eliminated a terrorist while injuring another.
IMAGE: President Murmu conferred the Kirti Chakra upon Havildar Abdul Majid, 9th Battalion The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), posthumously.
In November 2023 during a search operation in the forest areas of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, he exhibited exceptional courage and selflessness, evacuated a wounded officer and neutralised a terrorist.
IMAGE: President Murmu confers the Kirti Chakra on Major Deependra Vikram Basnet, 4th Battalion The Sikh Regiment.
Showing outstanding presence of mind and disregard for his safety, he led an operation in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control in June 2023 in which five heavily armed terrorists were eliminated.
IMAGE: President Murmu confers tne Kirti Chakra on Havildar Pawan Kumar Yadav, 21st Battalion The Mahar Regiment.
He displayed exceptional courage and indomitable heroism in laying ambush in close proximity to the enemy post. Under the indiscriminate fire by the enemy, he voluntarily moved ahead and eliminated terrorists.
IMAGE: President Murmu confers the Kirti Chakra on Major Digvijay Singh Rawat, 21st Battalion The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces).
In Manipur, he established an intelligence network, which enabled him to map all valley-based insurgent groups accurately. In one of the operations, he apprehended three insurgents by physically overpowering them.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com