From Myanmar to Kishtwar: Inside the Missions That Earned India’s Top Gallantry Awards

The President has conferred two Kirti Chakras and 10 Shaurya Chakras, including one awarded posthumously, to the personnel of the Indian Army & Navy as per the announcement made on the eve of the Republic Day.Beyond the top peacetime gallantry awards, the honours list also includes a Bar to Sena Medal for gallantry and 44 Sena Medals for gallantry, five of them posthumous. The recognition extends further to long service and leadership, with 19 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 35 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, seven Yudh Seva Medals, two Bars to Sena Medals for distinguished service, 43 Sena Medals for distinguished service, and 85 Vishisht Seva Medals.Additionally, 81 Mention in Despatches were approved for personnel involved

in sustained and high-risk operations, including Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid, and Operation Meghdoot.

Kirti Chakra: Courage Under Fire

Instituted in 1952, the Kirti Chakra is India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, given for conspicuous bravery or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. Major Arshdeep Singh of the 1 Assam Rifles earned the Kirti Chakra for his actions on May 14, 2025, during a high-risk patrol along the Indo-Myanmar Border. His team came under sudden and unprovoked heavy fire from militants positioned on a dominating hill feature. In terrain thick with tangled bushes and offering little cover, Major Singh chose not to retreat. Instead, he led a direct charge uphill while under sustained fire from above.He personally neutralised multiple armed militants, including one carrying a rocket launcher. His decisive leadership and fearless advance prevented further escalation and ensured the mission was completed without a single casualty among his men.Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment Special Forces, was recognised for his actions during a counter-terrorist operation in the dense forests of Kishtwar on April 11, 2025. Under intense enemy fire, he closed the distance to the attackers despite grave risk to his own life. In a close-quarters engagement, he eliminated a high-value foreign terrorist at point-blank range and went on to neutralise a second attacker. His calmness under fire and refusal to yield ground proved decisive in the success of the operation.

Shaurya Chakra: Acts That Changed the Outcome

The Shaurya Chakra, India’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award, recognises courage and self-sacrifice by military personnel and civilians alike. This year’s Army awardees span counter-terrorism operations from the Indo-Myanmar border to Kashmir and the Northeast.Lieutenant Colonel Ghatage Aditya Shrikumar of 21 Para Special Forces was honoured for planning and leading a surgical strike between July 11 and 13, 2025. Operating along the Indo-Myanmar border, he spearheaded an assault that destroyed a fortified militant camp and eliminated nine armed cadres, including senior leaders of an anti-national group.Major Anshul Baltoo of the 32 Assam Rifles earned the award for a fierce gunfight in Assam’s Dima Hasao district on April 29, 2025. During a search operation, he engaged an armed militant in a one-on-one encounter, neutralising him and enabling his team to eliminate two more militants and recover a significant cache of weapons.Major Shivkant Yadav of 5 Para Special Forces led his squad through punishing terrain in Shopian on the night of May 12 to 13, 2025. Under heavy fire, he pursued a fleeing group of terrorists and eliminated a Category A terrorist in close combat, ensuring the rest of the group was neutralised.Major Vivek of the 42 Rashtriya Rifles was recognised for prioritising civilian safety during an operation in Pulwama on May 15, 2025. While holding a critical security line under intense fire, he personally neutralised a Category A+ terrorist, preventing escape and safeguarding both civilians and fellow soldiers.Major Leishangthem Deepak Singh of 11 Para Special Forces was honoured for leading a high-risk rescue mission involving kidnapped civilians. Charging towards armed captors under heavy fire, he neutralised the terrorists at close range and successfully rescued a civilian without loss of life.Captain Yogender Singh Thakur of 6 Para Special Forces was awarded for an ambush operation in Udhampur on July 21, 2025. Despite being under fire, he outmanoeuvred the enemy and neutralised a hardened Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist in close combat.Subedar P H Moses of 1 Assam Rifles displayed exceptional courage on May 14, 2025, when he crawled forward under sustained enemy fire to reach a firing position. From there, he accurately engaged multiple militants, ensuring the patrol completed its task without casualties.The sole posthumous Shaurya Chakra was awarded to Lance Dafadar Baldev Chand of 4 Rashtriya Rifles. On September 19, 2025, in the high mountains of Kishtwar, he engaged terrorists in hand-to-hand combat. Despite being fatally wounded, he continued to fight after disarming one attacker, laying down his life in the line of duty.Rifleman Manglem Sang Vaiphei of 3 Assam Rifles was recognised for standing his ground during a firefight in Manipur on June 9, 2025, eliminating three militants while acting as a lead scout.Rifleman Dhurba Jyoti Dutta of 33 Assam Rifles earned the award for extraordinary bravery during an ambush on September 19, 2025. Though shot multiple times, he drove his vehicle out of the killing zone, saving the lives of eight fellow soldiers.

Gallantry at Sea and Beyond the Battlefield

The Navy’s gallantry awards display that courage is not limited to combat zones. Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A were awarded the Shaurya Chakra for a historic 238-day sailing expedition aboard INSV Tarini between October 2024 and May 2025.The two officers covered more than 25,600 nautical miles, sailing through some of the world’s most dangerous waters. During a total power failure in the Pacific Ocean, the vessel was navigated manually in isolation. In the Drake Passage, one of the most treacherous stretches of water on Earth, the boat nearly capsized but was brought under control through expert seamanship. The voyage also marked the first time Indians reached Point Nemo, the most remote location on the planet, by sailboat.Commander Harpreet Singh received the Nao Sena Medal for gallantry for his actions aboard INS Tarangini near Sri Lanka on January 21, 2025. During a violent storm with 45-knot winds, the ship suffered repeated engine failures in a busy shipping lane. Using limited power and improvised sail navigation, he safely guided the vessel for seven days to Kochi without injuries or damage.