Armed forces personnel honored with Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra awards

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday awarded three Kirti Chakras and 15 Shaurya Chakras to armed forces personnel for displaying gallantry and several other service medals including a Param Vishist Seva Medal to Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat. Two Kirti Chakras were posthumously awarded to Sepoy Vramha Pal Singh of the Rajput Regiment and Rajendra Kumar Nain, a constable with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

A Shaurya Chakra was also posthumously awarded to Ravindra Dhanawade by the President, who is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. Their families accepted the award at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The three laid down their lives in anti-militancy operations.

Besides Rawat, 14 senior officials of the three armed forces including Lt. Gen. Manoj Naravane, the chief of the Eastern Command of the Army, Lt. Gen. Bipin Puri, the chief of the Armed Forces Medical Corps, Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command, were awarded the PVSM medal. The PVSM is awarded to officers for "distinguished service of the most exceptional order".

Lt. Gen. Saranjeet Singh was awarded the Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal while 25 top officers of the three armed services were awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM). The UYSM is awarded to officers for "distinguished service of an exceptional order during war/ conflict/ hostilities" while AVSM is conferred to armed forces personnel for "distinguished service of an exceptional order".

Kirti Chakra is awarded for "conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy" while Shaurya Chakra is awarded for "gallantry otherwise in the face of the enemy".

(With inputs from agencies.)