Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters illuminated in Tricolour on the eve of Independence Day in Mumbai. (Akash Patil)President Droupadi Murmu on Friday approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 awarded posthumously, for personnel from the Defence Forces and Central Armed Police Forces. The awards include nine Kirti Chakras, of which seven are posthumous; one Bar (conferred second time) to the Shaurya Chakra; and 19 Shaurya Chakras, including one posthumous.The awards include five Bars to the Sena Medals (Gallantry); 36 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five of them posthumous; three Nau Sena Medals (Gallantry), and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).The Kirti Chakra awardees are Lt Col Manoj Francis PF of 21 Para (Special Forces) and Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 Para (Special Forces). Seven other Kirti Chakras were conferred posthumously. The armed forces personnel given the prestigious awards posthumously included Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 Para (Special Forces), Jagbir Singh (Head Constable), Jaswant Singh (Constable), Balvinder Singh (Constable), Tariq Hussain (Constable), Bashir Ahmad (Head Constable), and Sunil Kumar (Inspector).Eleven Army personnel have got the Shaurya Chakra, while one each is from the Navy and the IAF. The Shaurya Chakra awardees are Major Paramveer from 36 Rashtriya Rifles; Major Tarun Vasudevan from 57 Rashtriya Rifles; Major Keshav Kumar from 12 Dogra Regiment; Major Gaurav Singh Brijwal from 21 Grenadiers; Major Vipeen Kumar from 11 Rashtriya Rifles; Naib Subedar Shankar Ram from 3 Assam Rifles; and Naib Subedar Dabbal Singh Bisht from 21 Para (Special Forces).Other recipients of the award are Havildar Jagattar Singh from 4 Para (Special Forces); Lance Naik Narender Sindhu from 9 Rashtriya Rifles (posthumous); Lance Naik Kapil Dev from 11 Rashtriya Rifles; Sepoy Jaswinder Singh from 7 Sikh Light Infantry; Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar from the Indian Navy; Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar, a pilot from the Indian Air Force.The remaining Shaurya Chakra awardees are: Dheeraj Singh Katoch, Deputy Superintendent; Ajay Singh Chib, Inspector; Sukhvir Singh, Deputy Superintendent; Niyaz Ahmad, Assistant Sub-Inspector; Anjani Kumar, Deputy Commandant; and Deepak Sah, Constable.The citation of Lt Col Maneo Francis PF states that he was the Assault Team Commander of a Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) during an operation in Manipur, and he established an intelligence network to dismantle an insurgent group. “After several months of sustained intelligence development about a high-profile violent insurgent group, he launched a operation to raid and dismantle the insurgents… with his superior combat skills,” it added.Story continues below this adMajor Rathee’s citation said he was entrusted with a mission to neutralise terrorist groups in the Kishtwar region. “Exhibiting tactical brilliance under intense hostile fire, the officer maneuvered stealthily to an advantageous position, identified a hiding terrorist and with decisive action, lobbed incendiary grenades, eliminating a terrorist and setting fire to the hideout, thereby trapping and injuring the other two terrorists. After cessation of fire, he closed in to take confirmatory shots, neutralising three foreign terrorists,” it said.Havildar Gajendra Singh’s citation said he was serving as Intelligence Troop Havildar. “On 18 January 2026, leading a search team in dense jungles in Kishtwar, despite profuse bleeding, he re-engaged terrorists and critically injured a most wanted foreign terrorist. Havildar Gajendra Singh succumbed to his injuries on site…,” the citation said.Major Aditya Pratap Singh’s citation said his team came under intense automatic and grenade fire from insurgents during patrolling along the Indo-Myanmar border on 5 July 2025. “Undeterred by his injuries and with utter disregard to personal safety, he eliminated a most wanted top operational commander of a high profile insurgent group,” it said.The citation of Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar said he was serving as the NBCD Officer onboard INS Trikand. “On 18 October 2025, while deployed in the Gulf of Aden, the ship was directed to render assistance to MT Falcon, a Cameroon-flagged LPG tanker that had suffered a catastrophic explosion and major fire while transiting through the Houthi Attack Zone… Two Indian crew members were… presumed trapped onboard…,” the citation said. He voluntarily chose to lead the operation despite being fully aware of the dangers involved, it said. With PTI inputsAmrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More Tags:Droupadi Murmu