Himachal Pradesh soldier awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously

Shimla, July 7

Rifleman Kulbhushan Manta, who hailed from the state, was posthumously honoured with Shaurya Chakra — country’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award — by President Droupadi Murmu. The award was received by his mother and wife.

Kulbhushan Manta was part of a joint operation in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir when due to his gallant action and immense tactical acumen, a terrorist was captured alive.

In this operation, he made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. In October 2022, during a joint cordon and a search operation of the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police, Manta suffered a gunshot wound during the encounter with the terrorists and later succumbed to his injuries. Born to Pratap and Durma Devi in 1996 at Gonth village in Kupvi, Shimla district, Rifleman Kulbushan Manta wanted to serve in the Army since his childhood.

In 2014, he joined the Army after completing his school education at the age of 18 and was recruited into the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, an infantry regiment known for its brave soldiers and rich history of various battle honours. After serving for a few years, he married Neetu and the couple was blessed with a son. Kulbushan Manta was later deputed to serve the 52 RR battalion, deployed in J&K, for counter-insurgency operations.