New Delhi, August 14
Major Mohit Sharma, who laid down his life fighting militants infiltrating from Pakistan into J&K in March this year, has been awarded with Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award of the country.
He, along with Major D. Sreeram Kumar, is the only two Ashok Chakra awardees this time. Four Kirti Chakras, all for counter-insurgency operations in J&K, were also announced, a defence ministry statement said here today. Apart from this, 11 President’s Police Medals were also announced besides numerous awards for distinguished and meritorious service.
Major Sharma of Ghaziabad belonged to the Elite 1 Para special forces of the Army. He was deputed to Rashtriya Rifles in Kashmir. He along with four others was killed while fighting terrorists in the Hafruda forest of Kupwara district. This was one of the biggest attempts to infiltrate by militants even before the snow in the high mountain passes had melted. The militants were heavily armed and it led to a fierce gunbattle. Four terrorists were killed, two of them by Major Sharma despite being fatally injured.
Major D. Sreeram Kumar of Artillery regiment is presently serving in Assam Rifles. He was awarded in recognition of his service in the Operation Hifazat in Manipur. He has eliminated 12 and apprehended 23 terrorists and recovered 12 weapons. He
has also created a vibrant intelligence network.
Kirti Chakra has been awarded to Major Amit Oscar Fernandes of Maratha Light Infantry, Major Deepak Tewari of Electronic and Mechanical Engineers, Naik Rishikesh Gurjar of Rajput Regiment for exceptional gallantry shown during anti-insurgency operations in J&K and paratrooper Shabir Ahmad Malik of 1 Para Regiment, who laid down his life in the same gunbattle in Kupwara that took the life of Major Sharma.
The President’s Police Medal for Gallantry has been awarded to: Shriniwas Yellayya Dandikar (posthumously), Maharashtra Police; KC Yadav, Assistant Commandant, and Ashim Manta, constable, BSF; Bhagirath Singh, Amarendra Sarmah, Sarbjeet Singh and Vipin Singh (posthumously), Dharam Singh and Salim Khan, all CISF; Murlidhar Laxman Chaudhari (posthumously), Railway Protection force; and Anil Kumar of the ITBP.
Among those who have been awarded with the President’s Police Medal for distinguished service are: O.P. Galhotra, Joint Director (special task force) CBI, Arun Kumar, Joint Director CBI and Rishi Raj Singh, Joint Director (Mumbai-I Zone), CBI.
In the National Security Guard, five officials have been awarded with Police Medal for meritorious service: Ajai Singh, SLC Khup, CT Ravi, Om Prakash and S. Chongloi.
