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Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra were posthumously conferred on Major David Manlun and Major Satish Dahiya, who lost their lives while fighting with militants in Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir.
NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday presented Gallantry Awards and Distinguished Service Decorations at the Defence Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Defence Nirmala Sitharaman were also present at the event.
Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra were posthumously conferred on Major David Manlun and Major Satish Dahiya, who lost their lives while fighting with militants in Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir. Malun lost his life in a fight with militants in northern Nagaland, but eliminated three of them before succumbing to his injuries.
Shaurya Chakra was also posthumously awarded to Naik Chandra Singh, Constable Manzoor Naik of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Sergeant Milind Khairnar and Corporal Nilesh Kumar Nayan. Kirit Chakra was also awarded to Central Reserve Police Force Commandant Chetan Kumar Cheeta and Major Vijayant Bist of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry.
Cheeta was grievously injured in an operation against terrorists in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir last year. Cheeta lost an eye in the operation. A man with an extensive combat experience, Cheeta said he was raring to go back to the field. “I fought with my wife so that I could get back to work,” Cheeta said after the award ceremony.
Kovind also awarded Shaurya Chakra to Asst. Commandant Chandan Kumar from the CRPF, and Asst. Assault Commander P Trinadha Rao and Senior Commando Chikkam G V Ramachandran Rao of the Andhra Police for fighting Maoists. Shaurya Chakra was also awarded to Maj Abhinav Shukla, Maj Rohit Shukla, Gunner Rishi Kumar Ray, Sepoy Arif Khan and Lance Naik Badher Hussian, Havildar Mubarak Ali.
Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) were awarded to 14 top officers from the Army, Navy and the Air Force. PVSM is awarded to officers for “distinguished service of the most exceptional order”.
The Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal (UYSM) was also awarded to Lt Gen Ajae Kumar Sharma for “distinguished service of an exceptional order during war/ conflict/ hostilities”. Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) was awarded to 22 senior officers of the three armed forces. Among those awarded the AVSM was Maj Gen Madhuri Kanitkar, the only woman officer among the awardees.
Kanitkar, a paediatric nephrologist, is the first woman Dean of the Armed Forces Medical College.
