PVSM for Army Chief Rawat

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 25

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Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat is among 19 senior Army officials who have been conferred the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), the highest military medal awarded in recognition of peacetime services not relating to gallantry. Fifteen Lieutenant Generals and three Major Generals have been awarded the PVSM.

Two senior officers Lt Gen Surinder Singh, Western Army Commander, and Lt Gen MM Naravane, Eastern Army Commander, will be accorded the PVSM.

Besides, President Ram Nath Kovind approved one Ashoka Chakra, which is the highest gallantry award in peacetime, two Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry award, nine Shaurya Chakras and 109 Sena medals for the Army personnel.

The Navy personnel will be decorated with seven Nao Sena medals and the IAF with two Vayu Sena medals for gallantry.

Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani will be posthumously conferred with the Ashok Chakra. The Kirti Chakra will be awarded for separate acts of bravery to Major Tushar Gauba from the Jat Regiment and Sowar Vijay Kumar, 22 Rashtriya Rifles, the latter posthumously.

On May 24 last year, Major Gauba had eliminated three terrorists. Sowar Vijay Kumar was part of the operation. He got injured, but refused evacuation and killed two terrorists.

The Shaurya Chakra awardees include Capt Abhay Sharma, 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment. He was the party commander tasked to undertake patrolling against enemy Border Action Team along LoC in Jammu district in April last. Besides shooting down the enemy, the team also destroyed three bunkers, recovered enemy weapon and ensured safe extrication.

Lt Col Vikrant Prasher of 10 Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), Major Amit Kumar Dimri from 14 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Imliakum Keitzar from 4th Gorkha Rifles, Major Rohit Lingwal of 9th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Capt Abhinav Kumar Choudhary from 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Lance Naik Ayyub Ali from 9th battalion of Rashtriya Rifles, Sepoy Ajay Kumar, 42nd battalion of Rashtriya Rifles, and Sapper Mahesh HN, 44th Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles also won the Shaurya Chakra.

In the IAF, both Vayu Sena medals for gallantry are for rescue efforts during floods. Wing Commander Bhuvanendran Nair Prasanth rescued 13 college girls stranded on a rooftop. Sergeant Amit Kumar Jha has been awarded for rescuing people during cyclonic storm “Ockhi” in Kerala.

In the Navy, Commander Vijay Verma, a helicopter pilot, is on the list for Nao Sena medal for gallantry. He had rescued two pregnant women during the floods. Another naval copter pilot Commander T Anup Kumar has been awarded for another daring rescue. Another copter pilot Lt Commander Manu Mishra saved a merchant vessel from spilling its cargo of toxic chemicals into the Bay of Bengal.

Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Lt Gen PM Hariz, whom Gen Rawat supereseded, were conferred the PVSM in 2017