Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Three army personnel were Monday conferred the Kirti Chakra, India’s second highest peacetime gallantry medal, by President Pratibha Patil for displaying conspicuous bravery.

At a defence investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Patil also honoured 18 other armed forces personnel with Shaurya Chakra, the third highest peacetime bravery medal, apart from presenting 13 Param Vishisht Seva Medals (PVSM), two Uttam Yudh Seva Medals (UYSM) and 27 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for distinguished service.

One of the three Kirti Chakra awardees and five of the 18 Shaurya Chakra awardees were conferred the medals posthumously and these were presented by the President to their next of kin.

Those who received the Kirti Chakra medals were Major Rahul Gurung of Corps of Engineers, now serving with 12 Assam Rifles, Captain Deepak Sharma, a Signals officer serving with 42 Rashtriya Rifles, who died fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in March 2010, and Captain Vikrant Ajit Deshmukh of 8 Madras Regiment.

Among the Shaurya Chakra winners were Major Deepak Yadav and Major Nitesh Roy, both from Army Education Corps, killed during a terrorists attack on a residential complex for Indian Embassy staffers in Kabul Feb 26, 2010.

Guardsman Krishan Kumar of Brigade of the Guards, who served with 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Sepoy Ravi Kant of Dogra Regiment from 11 Rashtriya Rifles and Sepoy Sangat Singh of Mahar Regiment from 30 Rashtriya Rifles were the other posthumous Shaurya Chakra awardees.

PVSM and AVSM are awarded for distinguished service of an exceptional order, while UYSM is conferred for distinguished service during a war, conflict or hostilities.