President Kalam also presented 15 Param Vishist Seva Medals, four Kirti Chakras, one bar to Ati Vishist Seva Medal, 26 AVSMs and 33 Shaurya Chakras.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station, has been awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award. The award recognizes his contributions to the Axiom-4 mission and India's advancements in human space exploration.
India recognised acts of gallantry by armed forces personnel and senior military officers involved in Operation Sindoor, along with other distinguished service awards, on the eve of the 79th Independence Day.
On the occasion of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas, the Indian cricket fraternity has come together to pay tributes to the heroes of the Kargil War.
The government has extended the tenure of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan up to May next year.
It is considered one of the most crucial appointments within the Indian Army, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Defence.
President Droupadi Murmu has approved gallantry awards to 93 armed forces personnel, including two Kirti Chakras and 14 Shaurya Chakras, on the eve of Republic Day. The Kirti Chakras, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, have been awarded to Major Manjit from 22 Rashtriya Rifles and posthumously to Naik Dilwar Khan, 28 Rashtriya Rifles. The president also approved 305 defense decorations to Armed Forces and other personnel.
The Kirti Chakra awardees are Major Digvijay Singh Rawat of 21st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), Major Deependra Vikram Basnet from the Sikh Regiment's fourth battalion and Havildar Pawan Kumar Yadav from the 21st battalion of the Mahar Regiment, according to the defence ministry.
The President on Thursday conferred awards of 368 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others as part of the 63rd Republic Day Celebrations.
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred Distinguished Service Awards, including 52 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, on 84 serving and retired personnel of the armed forces and the Indian Coast Guard.
Lt Gen Baggavalli Somashekar Raju will take over as the next vice chief of the Army Staff on May 1, the defence ministry said on Friday.
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday approved 412 gallantry awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others on the eve of 74th Republic Day.
Before assuming charge of the CDS, Gen Chauhan paid tributes to India's fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial in the India Gate complex.
Military affairs experts said his key challenge will be to build consensus among the three services for the theaterisation plan as the Indian Air Force has some apprehensions about its roll-out.
Chand was honoured with Kirti Chakra, the second highest peace-time decoration, for displaying great presence of mind, valour and conspicuous gallantry before making the supreme sacrifice.
This is the first time that a retired officer has been appointed at this position for which a gazette notification was issued to announce the change in rules for the appointment.
Lieutenant General B S Raju, who will take over as the new DGMO, handed over the charge of the strategic XV Corps of the Army, which guards the Line of Control in Kashmir Valley, to Lt Gen D P Pandey.
Along with the six personnel who have been awarded Shaurya Chakra, 19 personnel have been awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), 33 have been awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and 77 have been awarded Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for their distinguished service, the Army noted.
Kirti Chakra was posthumously conferred on CRPF Commandant Pramod Kumar and Army Havildar Giris Gurung.
Corporal Nirala, disregarding personal safety and displaying indomitable courage, retaliated with effective lethal fire and gunned down two category A terrorists and injured two others.
Shaurya Chakra is usually awarded to armed forces and para-military personnel for 'gallantry otherwise in the face of the enemy'.
Nine army men have been awarded Shaurya Chakra, the third highest peacetime gallantry award.
The President has approved award of 398 gallantry and other defence decorations to armed forces personnel and others on the eve of the 68th Republic Day Celebrations.
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