President Pratibha Patil has approved gallantry medals for 137 security personnel, including 14 for the country’s third highest peacetime bravery award, the Shaurya Chakra, on the occasion of the 65th Independence Day. Among the other medals named by the president are three Bar to Sena Medal (gallantry), 114 Sena Medal (gallantry), three Nao Sena Medal (gallantry), and three Vayu Sena Medal (gallantry). Sena Medal is the Indian Army’s bravery medal, while its equivalent in the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force are the Nao Sena Medal and Vayu Sena Medal, a statement said on Monday.

By IANS via Hindustan Times

There are no winners of Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra, the highest and the second highest peacetime bravery awards, this time around.

The Shaurya Chakra medal awardees list this time includes a naval submariner, who died during efforts to rescue his fellow sailors following an accident while they were attempting a repair to the vessel’s hull at sea off Mumbai Aug 10 last year.

Late Lt. Cdr. Firdaus Darabshah Mogal was named for the gallantry medal posthumously for "an unmatched show of fearless valour in the face of death that saved the lives of six men onboard."

Others joining the list of brave men to win the medal posthumously are Sapper Amarjit Singh of the Corps of Engineers for his brave act while on deployment with the Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Constable Ashish Kumar Tiwary.

Among others the president has named for the award of Shaurya Chakra are: Maj. Abhishek Chakrabarty of Army Air Defence, Maj. S. Kartik Raja of Regiment of Artillery, Maj. Dhushyant Singh Shekhawat of Dogra Regiment, Capt. Saurabh Dhamija of Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), Capt. Tapas Kumar Deka of Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), and Lt. Abhinav Tripathi of Dogra Regiment.

Havildar Panchu Gopal Roy of Parachute Regiment on deployment with Rashtriya Rifles, Naik Rajesh Kumar of Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), Lance Naik Chandan Singh of Kumaon Regiment, Rifleman Aniruddh Yadav of Assam Rifles, and Paratrooper Padam Bahadur Poudel of Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) too will receive the Shaurya Chakra.

The Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), that is winning the medal second time, are Maj. Pranay Padmakar Pawar of Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), Maj. Raj Abhinav of Rajputana Rifles and Capt. Pawan Kumar Sachan of Corps of Signals posted with Assam Rifles.