Nine Kirti Chakras among honours for Armed Forces and CAPF personnel
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 posthumous honours, for personnel of the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces on the eve of Independence Day 2026.
The President approved nine Kirti Chakras, including seven posthumous awards. The Kirti Chakra is the country’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award.
She also approved one Bar to Shaurya Chakra, 19 Shaurya Chakras, including one posthumous award, five Bars to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 36 Sena Medals (Gallantry), including five posthumous awards, three Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Five Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel were awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously for acts of gallantry during encounters with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.
Head constable Jagbir Singh, selection grade constable Balvinder Singh, SGCT Jaswant Singh and SGCT Tariq Hussain, who were killed in a 2025 encounter in Kathua in which two terrorists were gunned down, were awarded the Kirti Chakra. Jammu and Kashmir Police head constable Bashir Ahmad, who killed a terrorist before succumbing to injuries during an encounter in Kathua district, was also awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously.
Uttar Pradesh Police STF Inspector Sunil Kumar was also awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously for his role in an encounter with a gangster.
Three Indian Army personnel — Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis, Major Jitendra Rathee and Havildar Gajendra Singh — were awarded the Kirti Chakra, with the honour to Havildar Gajendra Singh being posthumous.
During an encounter with terrorists in the dense forests of Kishtwar in January, Havildar Gajendra Singh evacuated two wounded soldiers despite sustaining multiple bullet injuries. Despite severe bleeding, he re-engaged the terrorists and critically injured a most-wanted foreign terrorist. He later succumbed to his injuries at the site.
