President Ram Nath Kovind confers Gallantry Awards at the third Defence Investiture Ceremony yesterday

New Delhi: President  Ram Nath Kovind conferred five Kirti Chakra, five Vir Chakra and nine Shaurya Chakra to the personnel of Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces during the fourth Defence Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan this evening. Of the five Kirti Chakra and Vir Chakra awardees, four personnel have been awarded posthumously in each category.  

The nine Shaurya Chakra awardees include eight of those who have been conferred posthumously. The Gallantry awards were given to the personnel for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty.

Jammu and Kashmir Police Head Constable Abdul Rashid Kalas were awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously for showing exemplary courage in engaging and eliminating hardcore terrorists' during an operation in Pulwama in 2019.

His wife Tasleema Begum received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the fourth  Defence Investiture ceremony held at  Rashtrapati Bhavan this evening. 

Jammu and Kashmir Special Police Officer Bilal Ahmad Magray were awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously for showing indomitable courage in evacuating civilians and engaging terrorists despite being



seriously injured during a counter-terror operation in Baramulla in 2019. His mother Sara Begum received the award.

Lt Gen CP Mohanty, Vice Chief of Army Staff also received Param Vishisht Seva Medal from President.

Earlier during the day, during the third Defence Investiture Ceremony, President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the second-highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra posthumously to Subedar Sanjiv Kumar of four para special Forces for an operation in Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir in which he killed one terrorist and injured two others. His wife received the award.

Colonel Santosh Babu was accorded Mahavir Chakra posthumously for resisting Chinese Army attack while establishing an observation post in Galwan valley in Ladakh sector during Operation Snow Leopard.

Naib Subedar Nuduram Soren, Havildar K. Pazhani, Naik Deepak Singh and Sepoy Gurtej Singh were awarded Vir Chakras posthumously for their gallant actions against the attack by the Chinese Army in the Galwan valley as part of the Operation Snow Leopard.

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Chaudhari received the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.