President confers gallantry awards

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday conferred the Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra posthumously to Major David Manlun and Major Satish Dahiya, who lost their lives while fighting with terrorists in Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides Manlun and Dahiya, the Shaurya Chakra was posthumously awarded to Naik Chandra Singh, Constable Manzoor Naik of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Sergeant Milind Khairnar and Corporal Nilesh Kumar Nayan.

Malun lost his life in a fight with militants in northern Nagaland, but eliminated three of them before succumbing to his injuries.

“Major Dahiya displayed his inspirational leadership and gallantry throughout the operation to kill three terrorists in Bandipora till his martyrdom.

“During search operation for three terrorists in a village, Maj Dahiya isolated the suspected house by putting a tight cordon, placing himself at the likely escape route. Militants suddenly rushed out, firing indiscriminately. He was hit on his chest but killed all the militants,” the official handle of the President of India said in a tweet.

The Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra are awarded for “gallantry in presence of the enemy”.

The Kirti 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. He is currently posted at CRPF Headquarters in New Delhi.

“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 Assistant Commandant Chandan Kumar from the CRPF, and Assistant Assault Commander P Trinadha Rao and Senior Commando Chikkam G V Ramachandran Rao of the Andhra Police for fighting Maoists.

The 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.

The Param Vishisht Seva Medal 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 was also awarded to Lt Gen Ajae Kumar Sharma for “distinguished service of an exceptional order during war/ conflict/ hostilities”.
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal 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.