What Is 'Mention-In-Despatch', The Lotus Insignia Awarded To Operation Sindoor Officers

On the eve of Republic Day, as President Droupadi Murmu announced the list of gallantry awards, attention was drawn not only to the Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra but also to a lesser-known yet highly prestigious honour, the ‘Mention-in-Despatch’. This year, 98 personnel from the armed forces were conferred the award, with particular focus on two intelligence officers recognised for their role in Operation Sindoor.

The announcement triggered widespread curiosity about the nature and significance of the Mention-in-Despatch, an honour that occupies a unique space between a gallantry medal and a formal commendation. In military practice, a ‘despatch’ refers to an official operational report sent by a commanding officer to senior authorities or the government.

When a soldier’s name is specifically cited in such a report for exceptional service beyond the call of duty, it is recorded as a Mention-in-Despatch.

Unlike conventional gallantry awards, the honour does not carry a separate medal. Instead, recipients are entitled to wear a distinctive lotus leaf emblem on the ribbon of their service medal. If the recognition is for wartime service, the emblem is worn on the ribbon of the relevant war medal; in peacetime cases, it is affixed to the General Service Medal ribbon.

This year’s list has highlighted Operation Sindoor as particularly sensitive, underscoring the covert nature of the mission. The award was conferred on two officers from the Intelligence and Field Security Units, Colonel Amit Kumar Yadav of the 615 Intelligence and Field Security Unit and Colonel Vinay Kumar Pandey of the 357 Intelligence and Field Security Unit. Given their affiliation with the Intelligence Corps, security experts believe Operation Sindoor was a fully classified mission, likely involving deep intelligence penetration, strategic disruption, or high-risk operations conducted without direct combat.

Defence analysts note that intelligence officers typically operate away from the public eye, and a Mention-in-Despatch in such cases signals an achievement of exceptional operational value, often accomplished without firing a shot or through covert entry into hostile territory.

The Mention-in-Despatch can be awarded to personnel of all ranks across the Army, Navy and Air Force, including members of the Territorial Army and Reserve Forces. It is generally granted for distinguished service during combat operations, counter-terrorism missions, or high-risk rescue efforts, and may also be awarded posthumously.

In 2026, five personnel were honoured with the Mention-in-Despatch posthumously in recognition of their supreme sacrifice. Of the 98 awardees this year, the Indian Army accounted for the largest share with 81 recipients. Personnel associated with major operations such as Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Meghdoot and Operation Sindoor featured prominently in the list.

The tradition of Mention-in-Despatch dates back to the First World War during British rule, when commanders sent operational reports to London and any soldier named in such correspondence earned special distinction. After Independence in 1947, India retained the practice but replaced the British oak leaf insignia with the lotus, the country’s national flower, giving the honour a distinct identity.