Lieutenant Navdeep Singh of the Army who killed four terrorists before laying down his life in Jammu and Kashmir will be awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award posthumously on Republic Day.
Five months after he was commissioned, Lt. Navdeep Singh led a crack commando platoon in anti-infiltration operations on the Line of Control in Gurez sector. He laid a trap and sprung an ambush on infiltrators. Single-handedly, he killed three and took down another before succumbing to injuries.
He saved the life of his buddy and the team. Twelve hardcore terrorists were killed in the operation. The third-generation soldier would be conferred the award by President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and received by his father Honorary Captain (Retired) Joginder Singh.
Lieutenant Sushil Khajuria of Grenadiers regiment, also posted in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir will be decorated posthumously with Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry award. Two other serving officers of Rajputana Rifles, Lt. Col. Kamaldeep Singh and Captain Ashutosh Kumar, have been conferred the same award.
Sixteen others, 5 of them posthumously, will be decorated with Shaurya Chakra. They include nine from the Army, two from the Border Roads Organisation, one each from the Navy, the Air Force, the Central Reserve Police Force, Pawan Hans and Jammu and Kashmir Special Police Officer.
Lt. Cdr. Rohith Mohandas Nambiar, a helicopter pilot, has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for skilfully landing a damaged aircraft carrying Lt. Gen. N.C. Marwah, Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
These are among the 368 gallantry and other decorations approved by the President on the eve of the 63rd Republic Day. Other awards include 3 Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 73 Sena Medal (Gallantry), 3 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 2 Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), 28 Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 1 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 6 Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 45 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 4 Yudh Seva Medal, 3 Bar to Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 37 Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 8 Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 14 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 6 Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal and 115 Vishisht Seva Medal. In addition 3 Mention-In-Despatches have also been announced.
