President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday conferred Shaurya Chakra (posthumously),  the third highest peacetime gallantry award, on Lance Naik Sandeep Singh of 4 Para (Special Forces) for killing one foreign terrorist and injuring two others in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018. His wife Gurpreet Kaur received the award.

Sepoy Brajesh Kumar of Punjab Regiment of Indian Army was also accorded Shaurya Chakra posthumously for killing an A++ category terrorist during an operation in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018. His wife Shweta Kumari received the award from the  President.

Sepoy Hari Singh of 55th Rashtriya Rifles was awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously for killing a terrorist and injuring another in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama in 2019.

The President also conferred Shaurya Chakra posthumously on J&K Police Sub Inspector Imran Hussain Tak for killing a top terrorist commander and arresting another despite sustaining bullet injuries in Srinagar in 2017. His wife Gulnaz Akhtar received the award.

J&K SPO Ashiq Hussain Malik was conferred with Shaurya Chakra posthumously for showing the highest degree of courage leading to the elimination of four heavily armed terrorists during an operation in Anantnag in 2018. His parents Maqbool Malik and Shahzado Bano received the award.

15 Corps Commander Lt Gen Devendra Pratap Pandey was honoured with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his role in counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir as Major General.

The award ceremony, held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several other dignitaries.

Several other military officers were also honoured at the event.

Earlier in the day, Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, who downed an enemy jet during an aerial combat with Pakistan in 2019 and was held captive for three days in that country, was honoured with the Vir Chakra award by President Kovind.