The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented Gallantry Awards for the year 2020 and Distinguished Service Decorations at the Defence Investiture Ceremony-I | Image source: Ministry of Defence
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented Gallantry Awards for the year 2020 and Distinguished Service Decorations at the Defence Investiture Ceremony-I held at Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning (November 22, 2021).
This was the first set of awards for the year 2020, the second set of awards will be presented this evening at the Defence Investiture Ceremony-II.
The President conferred two Kirti Chakras, including one posthumous, one Vir Chakra and 10 Shaurya Chakras, including two posthumous, to the personnel of Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces during Defence Investiture Ceremony (Phase-1) at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi in the morning of November 22, 2021. The Gallantry awards were given to the personnel for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty.
The President also conferred 13 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, two Uttam Yudh Seva Medals and 24 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals for distinguished service of exceptional order. Following is the list of awardees in order of presentation:
| S No | RANK AND NAME |
| KIRTI CHAKRA | |
| 1 | 16116742F SAPPER PRAKASH JADHAV, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FIRST BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES (POSTHUMOUS) |
| SHAURYA CHAKRA | |
| 1 | SS-44986N MAJOR VIBHUTI SHANKAR DHOUNDIYAL, THE CORPS OF ELECTRONICS AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, 55TH BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES (POSTHUMOUS) |
| 2 | JC-492138A NAIB SUBEDAR SOMBIR, THE JAT REGIMENT, 34TH BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES (POSTHUMOUS) |
| PARAM VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL | |
| 1 | IC-40703K LIEUTENANT GENERAL HARPAL SINGH, AVSM, VSM, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS |
| 2 | VICE ADMIRAL ANIL KUMAR CHAWLA, AVSM, NM, VSM (02312-B) |
| 3 | AIR MARSHAL RAJ KARAN SINGH SHERA, AVSM, VSM (16315), AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING (ELECTRONICS) (RETIRED) |
| 4 | AIR MARSHAL HARJIT SINGH ARORA, AVSM (16557) FLYING (PILOT) (RETIRED) |
| 5 | IC-39070P LIEUTENANT GENERAL RANBIR SINGH, AVSM**, YSM, SM, THE INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 6 | IC–39073H LIEUTENANT GENERAL SANJEEV KUMAR SHRIVASTAVA, AVSM, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS (RETIRED) |
| 7 | IC-39436F LIEUTENANT GENERAL SATINDER KUMAR SAINI, AVSM, YSM, VSM, THE INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 8 | IC-39465W LIEUTENANT GENERAL AMARJEET SINGH BEDI, UYSM, YSM, VSM, THE INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 9 | IC-39492A LIEUTENANT GENERAL ANIL CHAUHAN, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, THE INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 10 | IC-39871W LIEUTENANT GENERAL SANTOSH KUMAR UPADHYA, AVSM, SM, VSM, THE INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 11 | IC-40293Y LIEUTENANT GENERAL ALOK SINGH KLER, VSM, THE ARMOURED CORPS (RETIRED) |
| 12 | IC-41960N MAJOR GENERAL ASHWANI KUMAR CHANNAN, SM, THE REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY (RETIRED) |
| 13 | AIR MARSHAL KULDEEP SHARMA, AVSM, VSM (16541), AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING (MECHANICAL) (RETIRED) |
| KIRTI CHAKRA | |
| 1 | SHRI HARSHPAL SINGH, DEPUTY COMMANDANT, CRPF |
| UTTAM YUDH SEVA MEDAL | |
| 1 | IC-40500A LIEUTENANT GENERAL YOGESH KUMAR JOSHI, AVSM, VRC, SM, THE INFANTRY |
| 2 | IC-42389A LIEUTENANT GENERAL RAJU BAGGAVALLI SOMASHEKAR, AVSM, YSM, THE JAT REGIMENT, HEADQUARTER 15 CORPS |
| ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL | |
| 1 | IC-42298W LIEUTENANT GENERAL UPENDRA DWIVEDI, THE INFANTRY |
| 2 | AIR MARSHAL SHASHIKER CHOUDHARY, VSM, ADC (17645), AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING (MECHANICAL) |
| 3 | IC-39872Y LIEUTENANT GENERAL ANIL KAPOOR, VSM, THE CORPS ELECTRONICS AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS (RETIRED) |
| 4 | IC-41456N LIEUTENANT GENERAL RAKESH KUMAR ANAND, SM, VSM, THE CORPS OF SIGNALS (RETIRED) |
| 5 | IC-45009F LIEUTENANT GENERAL SUKHDEEP SANGWAN, SM**, THE INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 6 | IC-42796H MAJOR GENERAL (Now LIEUTENANT GENERAL) KC PANCHNATHAN, THE ENGINEERS CORPS |
| 7 | IC-43354W MAJOR GENERAL (Now LIEUTENANT GENERAL) JYOTINDER SINGH SANDHU, THE ARMOURED CORPS |
| 8 | IC-42771W MAJOR GENERAL SANJAY SINGH, SM**, VSM, THE INFANTRY |
| 9 | REAR ADMIRAL (Now VICE ADMIRAL) SREEKUMAR NAIR, NM (50986-A) |
| 10 | REAR ADMIRAL (Now VICE ADMIRAL) SWAMINATHAN KRISHNA, VSM (03221-W) |
| 11 | REAR ADMIRAL PHILIPOSE G PYNUMOOTIL, NM (02973-F) |
| 12 | REAR ADMIRAL SANJAY VATSAYAN, NM (03295-N) |
| 13 | AIR VICE MARSHAL (Now AIR MARSHAL) DILIP KUMAR PATNAIK, VM (17464) FLYING (PILOT) |
| 14 | AIR VICE MARSHAL (now AIR MARSHAL) GURCHARAN SINGH BEDI, VM, VSM (17448) FLYING (PILOT) |
| 15 | IC-39966W MAJOR GENERAL VIRINDER SINGH RANDHAWA, VSM, THE CORPS ELECTRONICS AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS (RETIRED) |
| 16 | IC-40311W MAJOR GENERAL RAJESH CHOPRA, THE MECHANISED INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 17 | IC-40679Y MAJOR GENERAL AMIT KUMAR SANYAL, VSM, THE ARMOURED CORPS (RETIRED) |
| 18 | IC-40714W MAJOR GENERAL BASAVARAJ GURUSIDDAPPA GILGANCHI, THE CORPS OF SIGNALS (RETIRED) |
| 19 | IC-40720K MAJOR GENERAL SANDEEP SHARMA, VSM, THE INFANTRY (RETIRED) |
| 20 | IC-41463K MAJOR GENERAL PAWAN ANAND, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS (RETIRED) |
| 21 | AIR MARSHAL RAJVIR SINGH, VSM (35801) MEDICAL (RETIRED) |
| 22 | AIR VICE MARSHAL MANOJ KUMAR DIXIT, VSM (17205) ADMINISTRATION (RETIRED) |
| 23 | GO-2116P ASHU SINGH RATHORE, CE(CIVIL) |
| 24 | GO-1568L ANIL KUMAR, ADDL DGBR (RETIRED) |
| VIR CHAKRA | |
| 1 | WING COMMANDER (Now GROUP CAPTAIN)
VARTHAMAN ABHINANDAN (27981) FLYING (PILOT) |
| SHAURYA CHAKRA | |
| 1 | IC-64585A LIEUTENANT COLONEL (now COLONEL) AJAY SINGH KUSHWAH, SENA MEDAL, THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR RIFLES, 3RD BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES |
| 2 | IC-79501Y CAPTAIN (now MAJOR) MAHESHKUMAR BHURE, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, 34TH BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES |
| 3 | IC-77536W MAJOR KONJENGBAM BIJENDRA SINGH, THE ARMY AIR DEFENCE, 23RD BATTALION THE ASSAM RIFLES |
| 4 | 9103747M NAIK NARESH KUMAR, THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR LIGHT INFANTRY, 42ND BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES |
| 5 | IC-64162M LIEUTENANT COLONEL JYOTI LAMA, 11TH BATTALION THE GORKHA RIFLES, 37TH BATTALION THE ASSAM RIFLES |
| 6 | JC-414282H NAIB SUBEDAR NARENDER SINGH, 9TH BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT (SPECIAL FORCES) |
| 7 | 3003914X HAVILDAR ALOK KUMAR DUBEY, THE RAJPUT REGIMENT, 44TH BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES |
| 8 | AMIT SINGH RANA, LME, 231243-B |
In September 2021, Deputy Director-General of Military Nursing Service Brig S V Saraswati has been bestowed with the National Florence Nightingale Award 2020. President Shri Ram Nath Kovind conferred the award in a virtual ceremony for her immense contribution to the MNS as a nurse administrator. National Florence Nightingale Award is the highest national distinction a nurse can achieve for selfless devotion and exceptional professionalism.