In a rare gesture, the Chief of the Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) for distinguished service on the eve of the 70th Republic Day.
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Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani has been posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peace time gallantry award. Kashmir’s first Ashok Chakra winner was awarded the Sena Medal in 2007 and 2018. The award will be presented by President Ram Nath Kovind to his wife, Mahajabeen, at the Republic Day parade.
“Since his enrolment in the Army, Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani epitomised qualities of a fine soldier. He always volunteered for challenging missions, displaying great courage under adverse conditions, exposing himself to grave danger on numerous occasions in the line of duty,” the citation reads.
The award comes for his role in a counter-terrorist operation on November 25, 2018, against six terrorists at Hirapur village near Batgund in Kashmir. Braving a hail of bullets from terrorists, he eliminated a district commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and one foreign terrorist. Despite being injured, Lance Naik Wani left another terrorist wounded before dying of injuries.
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The President approved the award of 411 gallantry and distinguished service medals. These include one Ashoka Chakra, four Kirti Chakra, 11 Shaurya Chakra, 28 PVSMs, three Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 51 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 10 Yudh Seva Medals, 122 Vishisht Seva Medals, 109 Sena Medals (gallantry), seven Nao Sena Medals (gallantry), two Vayu Sena Medals (gallantry), 40 Sena Medals (devotion to duty), nine Nao Sena Medals (devotion to duty) and 14 Vayu Sena Medals (devotion to duty).
The Kirti Chakras were awarded to Major Tushar Gauba and posthumously to Sowar Vijay Kumar, Constable Rajendra Kumar Nain and Constable Pradip Kumar Panda.