NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred 51 gallantry awards, including seven Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras and 29 Shaurya Chakras, during Phase-I of the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The awards were presented to personnel of the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and State and Union Territory Police forces in recognition of extraordinary courage, exceptional bravery and selfless service in the line of duty.
Among the honours bestowed, seven personnel received the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, including two posthumous recipients. Fifteen personnel were awarded the Vir Chakra, with three awards conferred posthumously, while 29 personnel received the Shaurya Chakra, including one posthumous award.
The ceremony celebrated acts of valor carried out in counter-terrorism operations, border security missions, special operations, aviation missions and other challenging circumstances where personnel displayed exceptional dedication and courage despite grave risks to their lives.
A significant number of awardees belonged to the Indian Army, reflecting the force’s active involvement in anti-terror and security operations across sensitive regions. Personnel from the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other security agencies were also recognised for their outstanding contributions.
Among the Kirti Chakra recipients were 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, Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair of the Indian Air Force, and Captain Lalrinawma Sailo of 4 Para (Special Forces). The posthumous Kirti Chakras were awarded to Sepoy Janjal Pravin Prabhakar of the Mahar Regiment and Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari of the Army Service Corps attached to 1 Sikkim Scouts.
The Vir Chakra awardees included several distinguished Army and Air Force officers who participated in operations conducted on May 7, 2025. Notable recipients included Colonel Koshank Lamba, Group Captains Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Manish Arora, Animesh Patni and Kunal Kalra, along with several other Air Force pilots and Army officers. Posthumous Vir Chakras were awarded to Sub Inspector Mohd Imteyaj and Constable Deepak Chingakham, as well as Rifleman Sunil Kumar of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry.
The Shaurya Chakra recipients represented a wide spectrum of the security establishment, including officers and soldiers from the Army, Navy, CRPF, Assam Rifles and police forces. The awardees were recognised for acts of bravery performed between 2024 and 2026. Several Para Special Forces personnel featured prominently among the recipients, underlining the demanding nature of the operations they undertook.
Among those honoured were Lieutenant Colonel Neetesh Bharti Shukla, Major Aditya Pratap Singh, Major Ashish Kumar, Assistant Commandant Mohd Shafiq of Assam Rifles, Lieutenant Commander Suraj Prashar of the Navy, Wing Commander Abhimanyu Singh of the Air Force, and Major Bhargav Kalita of the Kumaon Regiment. The list also included Major Shivkant Yadav, Lieutenant Colonel Ghatage Aditya Shrikumar, Captain Yogender Singh Thakur, Subedar Shamsher Singh and several other personnel who demonstrated exceptional courage under challenging operational conditions.
A unique recognition during the ceremony went to Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A of the Indian Navy, who were jointly awarded the Shaurya Chakra for their distinguished service and bravery.
The lone posthumous Shaurya Chakra was awarded to Lance Dafadar Baldev Chand of the Army, who made the supreme sacrifice while serving with 4 Rashtriya Rifles.
The Defence Investiture Ceremony is one of the most significant military award functions in the country, honouring personnel who display conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty beyond the call of service. The gallantry awards symbolise the nation’s gratitude towards those who safeguard India’s sovereignty and security under the most demanding circumstances.
President Murmu congratulated the awardees and paid tribute to the fallen heroes whose courage and sacrifice continue to inspire the nation. The ceremony was attended by senior military commanders, government officials and family members of the recipients, including the next of kin of those honoured posthumously.
The awards reaffirm India’s commitment to recognising exceptional bravery and honouring the unwavering dedication of its security personnel who continue to serve the nation with distinction.
