Independence Day 2024: Centre announces gallantry awards; Kirti Chakra for four; Shaurya Chakra for 18

NEW DELHI: Colonel Manpreet Singh, Rifleman Ravi Kumar, deputy superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Muzammil Bhat (posthumous) and Colonel Malla Rama Gopal Naidu will be conferred with the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime award, for their extraordinary bravery in the encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. All four were part of the 19th Rashtriya Rifles, which is spearheading anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

18 people (posthumously for four), including Major CVS Nikhil, a Malayali, received the Shaurya Chakra for gallantry. Captain Brijesh Nambiar, who was the commanding officer of the Navy's warship INS Visakhapatnam, which rescued the fuel tanker MV Marlin Luanda which was hit by a Houthi missile in the Gulf of Aden last year, was also awarded the Army Medal for Gallantry by the Navy.

64 from the Army (two posthumous, second award for one), six from the Air Force and 11 from the Navy have been awarded the Army Medal for Gallantry.

Navy Medal for Gallantry:

• Capt Brijesh Nambiar
• Capt. Rajababu Sharma
• Cdr Rahul Sharma
• Lt Cdr Vaibhav Tyagi
• Lt Cdr Hardeep Singh
• Lt Cdr Naveen Rathee
• Lt Cdr Harshul Bhat
• Veer Singh Yadav MCPO I (GS)
• Avinash Chowdhury LS (GW) GI
• Vishal Sea I (MC)
• Paars Rana ME I

Air Force Medal for Gallantry:

• Wing Commander Jaspreet Singh Sandhu
• Wing Commander Anand Vinayak Agashe
• Squadron Leader Mahipal Singh Rathore
• Sergeant Ashwani Kumar
• Junior Warrant Officer Vikas Raghav
• Wing Commander Akshay Arun Mahale