Please click on the images to salute the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice on the night of June 15-16, 2020, defending the motherland against Chinese barbarians and whose courage was acknowledged by a grateful nation at the Defence Investiture Ceremony on Tuesday.
IMAGE: Colonel Santosh Babu was awarded the Mahavir Chakra -- India's second highest award for gallantry -- posthumously for resisting the Chinese attack while establishing an observation post in the face of the enemy in the Galwan valley in Ladakh during Operation Snow Leopard.
His mother and wife receive the award from President Ram Nath Kovind.
Photograph: Rashtrapati Bhavan
IMAGE: President Kovind confers the Vir Chakra (Posthumous) on Havildar K Pazhani, 81 Field Regiment, who 'showed courage and bravery in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.'
Photograph: ANI Photo
IMAGE: President Kovind confers the Vir Chakra (Posthumous) on Naib Subedar Naduram Soren, 16th Battalion, Bihar Regiment, for 'determined courage and conspicuous gallantry in the face of the enemy and made supreme sacrifice for the nation.'
Photograph: ANI Photo
IMAGE: The parents of Sepoy Gurtej Singh, 3rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, receive the Vir Chakra (Posthumous) from President Ram Nath Kovind for 'conspicuous gallantry in the face of the enemy and made supreme sacrifice for the nation.'
Photograph: ANI Photo
IMAGE: President Kovind presents the Vir Chakra (Posthumous) to Naik Deepak Singh for 'unmatched professionalism in hostile conditions, unflinching devotion and made supreme sacrifice for the nation.'
Photograph: ANI Photo
IMAGE: President Kovind presents the Vir Chakra to Havildar Tejinder Singh, 3 Medium Regiment, for thwarting Chinese soldiers during the violent stand-off in the Galwan valley.
He fought fearlessly till he was grievously injured and was recognised for 'selfless commitment and unflinching leadership beyond the call of duty in the face of the enemy with the highest traditions of the Indian Army.'
Photograph: Rashtrapati Bhavan
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
