India’s I-Day Gallantry Award Winners & Why (Part 1)

The following Indian Army personnel have been decorated with the Shaurya Chakra. 1. MAJOR ABHISHEK CHAKRABARTY planned, executed and personally led an operation on 07-08 February 2011 in a village in Ramban District of Jammu & Kashmir resulting in killing of three hardcore terrorists, with no casualty to own troops and no collateral damage. Two terrorists were killed personally by the officer. Maj Chakrabarty got intelligence on 07 February 2011 at 2100 hours of presence of three hardcore terrorists in a hideout. Officer swung into action, with his team of six soldiers and cordoned the area by 0030 hours on 08 February 2011. At 0755 hours, the officer with his buddy moved towards the hideout, where he was fired upon by the terrorists. Undeterred, the officer fired back and killed one terrorist from a dangerously close range. By 1300 hours, second terrorist was eliminated by his team. After seven hours of fire-fight, the officer burnt the bushes near the hideout using Molotov Cocktail. He then personally led a party of three Other Ranks, to the roof of the hideout, lobbed a grenade and a rammer charge inside the hideout and fired with his AK-47, killing the third terrorist.

2. On prolonged cultivation of intelligence and covert surveillance a real time information was received on 13 May 2010, by MAJOR S KARTIK RAJA about the movement of 08-10 armed terrorists in general area in a village in Thoubal District of Manipur. Taking advantage of the inclement weather conditions, multiple teams were sent to the site to seek contact. At around 0025 hours on 14 May 2010 one team came under indiscriminate firing. Major S Kartik Raja displaying aggressive spirit swiftly led his team to the place of contact while tactically readjusting the other teams. On reaching the site, he saw 08-10 terrorists running, who on being challenged replied by indiscriminate fire on the officer and his team. The officer displaying nerves of steel replied back with retaliatory fire and with utter disregard to his personal safety, he and his buddy gave a hot pursuit to the fleeing terrorists through the difficult hilly jungle terrain as they ran and rolled down the nearby hillock and closed in on terrorists, who were entrenched behind a boulder and firing from their automatics and lobbing grenades. The officer manoeuvred himself to a tactical position and displaying, marksmanship skills, single handedly eliminated two terrorists under illumination. The officer amidst a hail of bullets then closed in onto another entrenched terrorist and gunned him down from close quarters. Thereafter, the officer displaying tactical clarity far beyond his service manoeuvred his team into a tight cordon and plugged in the escape routes. This tactical move resulted in elimination of two more terrorists and the daring operation resulted in elimination of five hardcore terrorists and recovery of a huge quantity of warlike stores and incriminating documents.

3. On 30 September 2010, at 0900 hours on receiving information about terrorists, MAJOR DUSHYANT SINGH SHEKHAWAT led a search party in a village in Kupwara District of Jammu & Kashmir. On 01 October 2010 at 1030 hours Major Shekhawat’s party came under heavy fire of terrorists. Major Shekhawat showing raw courage closed towards a terrorist and eliminated him in a close quarter battle. At 1110 hours Captain Sudheer was wounded. Major Shekhawat and Lance Naik Raghbir, undeterred by overwhelming fire, extricated Captain Sudheer, however themselves came under fire of terrorists and one terrorist was eliminated by Captain Sudheer in a daring action. Major Shekhawat closed towards the other terrorist under effective covering fire by Naib Subedar Madan and Lance Naik Raghbir and eliminated him in fierce combat lasting twenty minutes. On 02 October 2010 at 1000 hours intense fire fight resumed with terrorist hiding in a cave. Major Shekhawat crawled and reached on top of the cave with Lance Naik Raghbir under accurate covering fire by Naib Subedar Madan. Major Shekhawat lobbed a grenade inside cave and his buddy shot the terrorist by jumping right in front.

4. On 16 September 2010, CAPTAIN SAURABH DHAMIJA while leading his troop as scout number 02 on search and destroy mission in general area in Pulwama District of Jammu and Kashmir, found himself face to face with three armed terrorists. Showing extreme presence of mind, the officer challenged the terrorists to surrender. During the firefight he fired from his hip and eliminated one terrorist. The other terrorists then hid behind a boulder. While trying to outflank them, the officer came under heavy automatic fire from a nearby height. Not loosing his nerves under fire, he redeployed his squads. Realising the proximity of own troops after redeployment, Capt Saurabh realized engaging the terrorist would have resulted in injury to own troops, he crawled up the boulder, when his weapon misfired. Displaying raw courage the officer grappled with the terrorist and snatched his weapon and eliminated him. The third terrorist tried to break contact and flee. The officer using the slain terrorist’s weapon injured the fleeing militant, who was later neutralised.

5. On 15 October 2010 at 1900 hours, acting on information about presence of terrorists in a village in Kokrajhar District of Assam, a search team was launched under Major TN Unnikrishnan. Meanwhile, information of suspects in two other villages nearby was received. Grabbing the opportunity, the search party was instantly dispersed into three small parties to lay ambushes in the suspected areas. LIEUTENANT ABHINAV TRIPATHI was incharge of one of the ambush party. On reaching the site at approx 2100 hours on 15 Oct 2010, Lieutenant Abhinav Tripathi quickly appreciated the ground, briefed his party and laid the ambush. At about 2230 hours, two persons approached the site on a motor cycle. They were completely surprised when they were challenged by the stops. Impulsively, they accelerated the motorcycle and also started spraying bullets in the direction of the stops. Lieutenant Abinav Tripathi retaliated by firing quick shots, which injured the driver fatally and the motorcycle fell down. The pillion rider sprinted towards the bamboo grove along the road, firing indiscriminately in all directions to break contact. Without getting unnerved under hostile fire, Lieutenant Abhinav Tripathi moved to outflank the fleeing terrorist and engaged him in close quarter combat killing him with a burst from his weapon. Lieutenant Abhinav Tripathi, executed a successful operation, resulting in the elimination of two hardcore terrorists with arms and ammunition. One of the terrorists was later identified to be a Self Styled Sergeant of a terrorist organisation, resulting in a major blow to the outfit.

6. On 05 April 2011, SAPPER AMARJIT SINGH as part of the house clearing team at a village in Pulwama District of Jammu & Kashmir was clearing a suspected hide lodging a terrorist. The terrorist hiding behind the mirror opened fire. The team commander pinned him down and ordered his teammates to clear out. Sapper Amarjit Singh, gauging the gravity of the situation, disregarding his own safety engaged the terrorist with effective fire to facilitate the team’s move to safety. In the ensuing fire fight, he daringly inflicted grievous injuries to the terrorist and continued engaging him at point blank range thereby enabling safe movement of his teammates. In the process he sustained previous gun shot wounds to his face and succumbed to his injuries. The previous injuries inflicted on the terrorist resulted in the death and elimination of a dreaded Divisional Commander of a terrorist outfit. Sapper Amarjit Singh displayed unflinching devotion to duty and indomitable courage and made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the Nation.

7. PARATROOPER PADAM BAHADUR was a member of Captain Tapas Deka’s squad. On 03 October 2010 during an Hostage Rescue Operation in East Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh, Captain Tapas moved for sentry silencing under the cover provided by Paratrooper Padam Bahadur. As the officer eliminated the sentry and secured the hostage, he came under heavy fire from two terrorists who were near sentry position. Paratrooper Padam acted quickly came out in open and engaged the terrorists from a flank. His brave act surprised the terrorists and drew their attention away from Captain Deka and hostage. Taking advantage of confusion in the terrorist ranks, displaying high marksmanship skills, he killed two terrorists in quick succession.