Ashok Chakra for Havildar Hangpan Dada

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 14

President Pranab Mukherjee today approved 82 gallantry awards for armed forces personnel and members of the paramilitary forces. These included one Ashok Chakra, 14 Shaurya Chakras, 63 Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

Havildar Hangpan Dada of Assam Regiment, who killed four intruding terrorists before laying down his life at a height of 13,000 feet in the harsh Himalayan terrain of North Kashmir on May 26, was awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Eight Army men from the Northern Command got the Shaurya Chakra, the third highest award for gallantry during peacetime. Five of them got this award posthumously, a Ministry of Defence statement said.

Hangpan Dada laid down his life as he led a charge on hiding terrorists in Naugam (Jammu and Kashmir), resulting in neutralisation of four. 

Taking the enemy head-on, Dada killed two of them on the spot and the third one after a hand-to-hand scuffle as they slid down the hill towards the LoC. A fourth terrorist was also killed by him.

Lt Col EK Niranjan, who lost his life during the Pathankot airbase attack, was among those awarded the Shaurya Chakra. He was attached to the National Security Guard and was part of their bomb-disposal squad.

Captain Pawan Kumar and  Captain Tushar Mahajan of 9 Para Special Forces, who lost their lives during the Pampore attack, were awarded gallantry medals.