National Security Guards commando Suresh Chand Yadav, killed in the operation to clear terrorists from Gujarat's Akshardham Temple in September 2002, has been awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award, on the occasion of Republic Day.

Subedar Yadav, 41, had joined the army in 1979 and was part of the 13 Mahar Regiment before he moved on to the Central Reserve Police Force. He is survived by his wife and two children.

He is the only one to receive the award this year.

Havildar Rudal Prasad [posthumously] of the army's 4 Bihar Regiment, Naik Tarlok Singh of the Mahar Regiment, and NSG commando Surjan Singh have been honoured with the Kirti Chakra.

Twenty-two security forces personnel have been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for gallantry, including Major Sukhmeet Singh of the army's artillery wing for the second time.

As many as 28 senior officers have been selected for the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for exceptionally distinguished service, including the adjutant general, Lieutenant General Ananthnarayan Natarajan and the director general of the newly formed Defence Intelligence Agency, Lt Gen Kamleshwar Davar.

Among the recipients of the prestigious medal are the commander-in-chief of the Tri-Services Command in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Vice-Admiral Om Prakash Bansal; the director general of the Armed Forces Medical Services (Air Force), Air Marshal Satish Kumar Ramlal Dham; and the controller (warship production and acquisition), Vice-Admiral Pravesh Jaitly.

The director general (Signals), Lt Gen Dharam Prakash Sehgal, was selected for putting into use the latest communication support during 'Operation Parakram' and also helping the new Hamid Karzai government in Afghanistan in the field.

The commander-in-chief of the Central Air Command, Air Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi, who is to take over the South West Air Command from February 1, has also been selected for the PVSM.

Lt Gen Bijoy Nandan Shahi, an internationally renowned heart specialist in the Army Medical Corps, Lt Gen Tejinderjit Singh Gill of the Army Ordnance Corps, Lt Gen Prakash Suri of the Engineers, and Lt Gen Sarvjit Singh Chahal, former director general (military operations) and now commandant of the National Defence College, are also being awarded the PVSM.

The military secretary in Army Headquarters, Lt Gen Mahesh Vij; the chief of personnel in the navy, Vice-Admiral Yashwant Prasad; the commander-in-chief of the Western Air Command, Air Marshal Adi Rustomji Ghandhi, and the air officer commanding-in-chief (medical corps), Air Marshal Dinesh Chandra Nigam, will also be given the medal.

The inspector general (flight safety) of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Ashok Kumar Goel, and the air officer in-charge of maintenance at Air Headquarters, Air Marshal Vijay A Patkar, are also on the list.

Forty-five personnel of the Border Security Force have been chosen for the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service/Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

Fifty-three personnel of the CRPF have been chosen for the President's Police Medal for Gallantry, President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, and Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

The President's Police Medal for Gallantry is being given to 14 personnel, three of them posthumously. Among the recipients are Commandant R P S Rana, Assistant Commandant K S Rana, Head Constable G P Singh, Hriday Ram, Constable Prithvi Singh, M P Singh, Mool Singh, Utpal Dev, Ganesh Kumar, Nirmal Prakash and Lakhwinder Singh. Sub-Inspector M S Bishi, Constable S K Das and Ashok Kumar are being awarded the medals posthumously.

The President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service is being awarded to five officers: Inspector General of Police Vageesh Mishra, DIG M M Sharma, Additional DIG Rizwan Rasool, Commandant G M S Khatit and Commandant Jagjit Singh.

The Police Medal for Meritorious Service will be given to 34 personnel.