Three Army personnel awarded Ashok Chakra

The central government on Tuesday announced that the nation's highest peacetime gallantry medal, the Ashok Chakra, would be awarded to three Army personnel who laid down their lives while fighting militants in Kashmir.

Colonel Vasanth Venugopal of the Maratha Light Infantry, Captain R Harshan of the Para Special Forces and Naib Subedar Chunni Lal of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry were named as the recipients of the award in this year's Independence Day honours list.

The honours list also included 140 personnel from the armed forces and the Coast Guard.

The Ashok Chakra is the peace-time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra and is awarded for valour, courageous action or supreme self sacrifice away from the battlefield. The next of kin of the three Army men will receive the medal from the President on Republic Day.

The honours list included six Kirti Chakras (five of them awarded posthumously), 20 Shaurya Chakras, two bar to Sena Medal, 99 Sena Medals and four Nao Sena Medals.

The President has also approved one President's Takrakshak medal (for distinguished service), two President's Takrakshak medals (gallantry) and two Takrakshak medals (meritorious service) for Coast Guard personnel.