(This Article is originally published by IANS)
A total of 15 Indian Army officers and soldiers will be awarded the Gallantry Medal, five of them posthumously, on Army Day on Friday for gallantry during counter-terror operations in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Sena Medal Gallantry awarded in recognition of such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance to the Indian Army.
Major Ketan Sharma of 19 Rashtriya Rifles (Engineers) will be awarded the honoured posthumously for showing exemplary courage during counter terror operations on June 16, 2019 in Jammu & Kashmir. He killed a terrorist and saved the life of a colleague, despite being severely injured due to incessant firing by the enemy. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Naib Subedar Tsewang Gialshan of 5th battalion Ladakh Scouts Regiment will also be awarded posthumously for saving the life of a soldier trapped in an avalanche, disregarding his own safety at the Kansing post of Siachen Glacier. He attained martyrdom on November 30, 2019.
Sepoy Rambir of 34 battalion Rashtriya Rifles (Jat Regiment) is another soldier to be awarded posthumously. On August 1, 2019, in a village in J&K in a cordon operation, Sepoy Rambir in a bold and daring move, broke his own cover, to close in to his injured colleague while continuously engaging the terrorists with heavy fire. Despite being grievously injured, he saved his colleague’s life before succumbing to his injuries.
Naik Sandeep Singh of 10 Para (Special Forces) will be also honoured with gallantry award posthumously. On February 1, 2019 during cordon and search operation, Naik Sandeep Singh, with tactical thoroughness, killed two terrorists but got injured and later succumbed to his injuries.
Grenadier Hari Bhakar of 4 battalion the Grenadiers Regiment too will be awarded posthumously. On March 23, 2019, at a forward post along with Line of Control, Grenadier Hari Bhakar fired an anti-materiel rifle, with absolute precision and inflicted casualties on the enemy. But in the course of action, he succumbed to his injuries.
Major Archit Goswami of 4 battalion of Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) will be decorated for successfully eliminating a terrorist on August 20, 2019 in J&K. Major Gooty Balaji Niranjan of Army Aviation Corps will also be honoured for his unique contribution during search and rescue paratrooper operation by hovering the helicopter for about 20 minutes on April 25, 2019 in Haldani.
Major Sachin Andotra of 34 Battalion Rashtriya Rifles (Army Service Corps) will be awarded for eliminating two terrorists in the valley on May 21, 2019. Major Aman Singh of 44 Rashtriya Rifles (Armoured Corps) is to be awarded the medal for killing a terrorist in close combat at the Line of Control on November 10, 2019. Major Krunal Thakre of 46 Rashtriya Rifles (Sikh regiment) will be awarded for eliminating a terrorist on October 23, 2019, in a forward area of valley.
Captain Abhishek Katoch of 3 Rashtriya Rifles(Corps of Electronics Mechanical Engineers) is to be awarded for killing a terrorist on October 16, 2019 in the valley. Subedar K. Laldingliana of 42 battalion Rashtriya Rifles (Assam regiment) will be awarded the medal for eliminating a terrorist during a counter terror operation on October 22, 2019 while Lance Havildar Pawar Vikas Vasant of 4 battalion Maratha Light Infantry will be awarded for killing three terrorists at the LoC.
Naik Surendra Singh Rautela of 13 Rashtriya Rifles (Kumaon Regiment) is to be awarded for eliminating a terrorist and also subduing another terrorist in an heavily-populated built-up area on March 21, 2019.
Finally, Sepoy Rajpal of 19 Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles (The Regiment of Artillery) is to be awarded for saving the life of his colleague by moving dangerously close to the enemy despite continuous enemy fire on June 17, 2019.
