Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Jan 26 (.) Major Arshdeep Singh of 1 Assam Rifles and Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), have been conferred the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, for displaying exceptional courage and leadership during high-risk counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in 2025.
President of India Droupadi Murmu approved the conferment of Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards on personnel of the Indian Army. In the Chakra Series, two Kirti Chakras and ten Shaurya Chakras, including one Shaurya Chakra (Posthumous) have been awarded.
Other gallantry awards conferred to the soldiers include one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry) and 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry), including five posthumous awards.
Major Arshdeep Singh of 1 Assam Rifles has been awarded the Kirti Chakra for the act on 14 May 2025, when he led a special patrol along the Indo-Myanmar Border that came under sudden and unprovoked fire from a dominating height, where he fearlessly assaulted the position through dense undergrowth and, despite intense enemy fire, neutralised multiple armed cadres including one armed with an RPG launcher, ensuring zero casualties to own troops.
Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) has been awarded the Kirti Chakra for the act on 11 April 2025, during a counter-terrorist operation in the forests of Kishtwar district, where he manoeuvred under heavy hostile fire, closed in on terrorists with complete disregard to personal safety and eliminated a hardcore foreign terrorist at point-blank range before neutralising another.
Lieutenant Colonel Ghatage Aditya Shrikumar of 21 Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act carried out between 11 July and 13 July 2025, when he planned and personally led a precision strike along the Indo-Myanmar Border, resulting in the complete destruction of a fortified militant camp and elimination of nine-armed cadres including senior leadership of a notorious anti-national group.
Major Anshul Baltoo of 32 Assam Rifles has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act on 29 April 2025, when he led a combing and search operation in Dima Hasao district of South Assam and, during a fierce encounter, single-handedly neutralised an armed cadre, leading to elimination of three-armed cadres and recovery of weapons and war-like stores.
Major Shivkant Yadav of 5th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the acts carried out on the night of 12–13 May 2025, when he led his squad in inhospitable terrain of Shopian district, fearlessly pursued terrorists under heavy fire, neutralised a Category ‘A’ terrorist in close-quarter combat and enabled the successful elimination of remaining terrorists.
Major Vivek of 42 Rashtriya Rifles has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act on 15 May 2025, during a cordon and search operation in Pulwama district, where he prioritised civilian safety, ensured cordon sanctity under intense fire and neutralised a Category ‘A ’ terrorist in a close-quarter engagement, preventing escape and safeguarding own troops.
Major Leishangthem Deepak Singh of 11th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act in which he spearheaded a high-risk rescue and kinetic operation involving kidnapped civilians, closing in under heavy hostile fire, neutralising terrorists at close range and rescuing an innocent civilian.
Captain Yogender Singh Thakur of 6th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act on 21 July 2025, when he led an ambush operation in Basantgarh area of Udhampur district, outflanked terrorists under heavy fire and neutralised a hardcore Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist in close-quarter combat.
Subedar P H Moses of 1 Assam Rifles has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act on 14 May 2025, when as Second-in-Command of a special patrol he crawled under intense enemy fire to secure advantageous positions and neutralised multiple armed cadres with precision.
Lance Dafadar Baldev Chand of 4 Rashtriya Rifles has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra (Posthumous) for his conduct on 19 September 2025, when during a counter-terrorist operation in the high reaches of Kishtwar district, he fearlessly engaged terrorists in hand-to-hand combat, disarmed one at grave personal risk and continued fighting despite sustaining fatal gunshot wounds.
Rifleman Manglem Sang Vaiphei of 3 Assam Rifles has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act on 9 June 2025, during a counter-infiltration operation in Tengnoupal district of Manipur, where as the lead scout he held ground under intense fire and neutralised three armed cadres.
Rifleman Dhurba Jyoti Dutta of 33 Assam Rifles has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for the act on 19 September 2025, when, despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds during an ambush while returning from flood relief duties in Manipur, he drove the vehicle out of the killing zone under intense hostile fire, saving the lives of eight fellow soldiers.
The President also approved 19 Param Vishisht Seva Medals (PVSM), 4 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals (UYSM), 35 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals (AVSM), and 7 Yudh Seva Medals (YSM) for distinguished service and operational leadership. In addition, 2 Bar to Sena Medals (Distinguished) and 43 Sena Medals (Distinguished) have been approved.
Additionally, 85 Vishisht Seva Medals (VSM) have been conferred, along with 81 Mention-in-Despatches across operations including Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid, Operation Meghdoot, besides rescue and casualty evacuation tasks. . PWS