President Murmu Confers Gallantry Awards On 51 Heroes, Gaganyaan Astronaut Among Kirti Chakra Recipients

President Droupadi Murmu conferred 51 gallantry awards during the Defence
Investiture Ceremony 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, honouring acts of
extraordinary bravery across India’s Armed Forces, Central Armed Police
Forces, and State Police.

Among the recipients was Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, a Gaganyaan
astronaut-designate, who received the Kirti Chakra for distinguished service
under challenging conditions.

The Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026, held in New Delhi, recognised personnel
for their courage, devotion to duty, and disregard for personal safety in
operational theatres. A total of seven Kirti Chakras were awarded, including
two posthumous honours, alongside 15 Vir Chakras with three posthumous awards,
and 29 Shaurya Chakras with one posthumous recognition.

These awards highlighted the sacrifices made by India’s defenders in
counter-insurgency, combat, and security operations across diverse terrains.

The Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, was
conferred on personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and paramilitary
forces.

Among them was Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, call sign
“Papa”, one of the four astronauts selected for India’s first human
spaceflight mission under the Gaganyaan program. His recognition underscores
the dual role of military officers in both national defence and pioneering
space exploration.

Other Kirti Chakra awardees included Lance Naik Meenatchi Sundaram A of the
Regiment of Artillery attached to 34 Rashtriya Rifles, Naib Subedar Doleshwar
Subba of 2 PARA (Special Forces), Major Arshdeep Singh of 1 Assam Rifles, and
Captain Lalrinawma Sailo of 4 PARA (Special Forces). Posthumous honours were
awarded to Sepoy Janjal Pravin Prabhakar of the Mahar Regiment and Lieutenant
Shashank Tiwari of the Sikkim Scouts, whose families received the awards in
solemn tribute.

The Vir Chakra recipients included senior Army officers and several Indian Air
Force pilots, such as Group Captains Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Manish Arora,
Animesh Patni, and Kunal Kalra, recognised for gallantry during high-risk
operations. These awards reflected India’s ongoing battle against terrorism,
insurgency, and hostile threats across Jammu & Kashmir, the Northeast, and
border regions.

The Shaurya Chakra awards honoured personnel from the Army, Navy, CRPF, Assam
Rifles, and other security forces. Notable recipients included Major Ashish
Kumar of 7 Para (Special Forces) for eliminating terrorists in Anantnag,
Constables Sanjay Tiwari and Feda Hussain Dar for neutralising a foreign
terrorist in Srinagar despite sustaining injuries, and Wing Commander
Abhimanyu Singh, who safely recovered a fighter aircraft after a catastrophic
mid-air canopy failure.

Navy officers Lieutenant Commanders Dilna K and Roopa A were also recognised
for their endurance and courage during the Navika Sagar Parikrama II
expedition, where they sailed over 25,600 nautical miles and became the first
Indians to reach Point Nemo by sailboat.

The ceremony was attended by Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, underscoring the
national importance of the event. The awards not only honoured acts of
gallantry but also highlighted India’s commitment to safeguarding national
security across land, sea, air, and even space.

The posthumous awards served as a reminder of the supreme sacrifices made by
personnel in the line of duty. Families of martyrs received the honours,
reinforcing the nation’s gratitude for their loved ones’ courage and devotion.

Agencies