Galwan Valley heroes honoured at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Colonel Santosh Babu's award was received by his wife and mother at the Defence Investiture Ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
FollowPresident Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday conferred the Maha Vir Chakra (posthumously) on Colonel Santosh Babu, who made supreme sacrifice in protecting India's sovereignty during the violent faceoff with the Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on June 15 last year.Â
The award was received by his wife and mother at the Defence Investiture Ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Among the other Galwan heroes who received the gallantry awards posthumously include Naib Subedar Nuduram Soren, Havildar K Palani, Naik Deepak Singh, Sepoy Gurtej Singh and Havildar Tejinder Singh. The brave hearts were honoured with the Vir Chakras for their valour, courageous actions and self-sacrifice during the faceoff in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh.Â
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The citation for Col Santosh Babu reads that the 16 Bihar Commanding Officer was deployed in Galwan Valley during operation Snow Leopard and was tasked with establishing an observation post in the face of the enemy (read China). The citation states that the late Colonel executed the plan successfully after having organised and briefed his soldiers about the situation with a sound plan.Â
The citation further says that Col Santosh Babu's column faced stiff resistance while holding the position. The adversary attacked using lethal and sharp weapons along with heavy stone pelting from adjoining heights. Col Santosh Babu resisted the enemy's attempts to push back Indian troops and was undaunted by the aggressive action by the overwhelming strength of the enemy soldiers.
Besides, the Indian Army's 4 Para Special Forces Subedar Sanjiv Kumar's kin received the Kirti Chakra for his anti-terror operation in the Keran sector of Jammu & Kashmir. Subedar Sanjiv Kumar was killed while he and his squad eliminated from close quarters five terrorists who had infiltrated the Line of Control in the Keran sector.Â
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