Sundry Details About I-Day 2006 Awards

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) The President has approved the awarding of a 108 gallantry awards on the occasion of Independence Day 2006 of which 97 have been awarded to Army personnel, six to those from the Navy, and one to one from the Indian Air Force.

Besides, three medals have been awarded to personnel from the Ministry of Home Affairs and one from the Border Roads Organisation.

Of these awards, 2 are Kirti Chakras, 16 are Shaurya Chakras, 2 Bar to Sena Medals, 81 Sena Medals, six Nao Sena Medals and one Vayu Sena Medal.

Both the Kirti Chakras have been awarded posthumously.

From the Army, this award has gone to Maj James Thomas of Sikh Light Infantry. The other awardee is Vijay Pal Singh of Uttar Pradesh Fire Service (MHA).

Maj James Thomas was a Company Commander along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu&Kashmir. On January 28 last at 0230 hrs, he observed a group of terrorists attempting to skirt an ambush and infiltrate towards the rear.

Realising the impending danger to own troops in the rear, he decisively moved forward to intercept the infiltrating terrorists, lobbed grenades and engaged them in a fierce firefight.

With great determination, unflinching courage and unmindful of personal danger, he succeeded in killing four terrorists single-handedly.

In doing so, he also sustained grave splinter injuries.

Meanwhile, he observed two more terrorists closing in from the other flank. He crawled towards the terrorists to lob grenades and fired at them with his personal weapon.

With presence of mind, he succeeded in killing the two terrorists, before succumbing to injuries.

Maj Thomas was born in September 1967 at Bikaner (Rajasthan), though his family is from Keeramthadatil House, PO Oliyapuram, Koothatukulam, Ernakulam (Kerala).

The officer was educated at Bikaner Boys School and Dungart College, Bikaner. He is survived by his wife Mrs Nitha James.

Fireman Vijay Pal Singh has been awarded the Kirti Chakra for his commendable courage and devotion to duty.

He saved more than 25 lives from the burning pandal of Victoria Park at Meerut on April 10 last.

Singh entered the burning Pandal and started moving the people out of the Pandal one by one. Unmindful of the burning and dropping polymer and explosion of gas cylinders and AC Compressors, Singh kept on moving further and continued his work with missionary zeal and dedication.

However, his foot got stuck in the wooden floor. By then, he had saved more than 25 lives out of the burning Pandal.

He struggled and managed to free himself but by that time, he had received serious burn injuries. He succumbed to injuries after 13 days of hospitalisation at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.

Maj Gopi Singh of Garhwal Rifles/Rashtriya Rifles has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously.

Born in Nov 1970 in Dehradun, Maj Gopi Singh had served as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to former President KR Narayanan. He was also ADC to President APJ Abdul Kalam for four months before being shifted to his Battalion.

He was awarded the Sword of Honour at his commissioning. He also had a great passion for literature and literary works. His collection of poems came out in the year 2004.

When working as ADC to Mr Narayanan, he developed an in-depth knowledge about the various plants in the Mughal Garden.

He died in a counter-terrorist operation in Baramulla district on November 11 last year.

The youngest officer to receive the award of Shaurya Chakra is Lt Amarjeet Singh of Parachute Regiment (Special Forces).

Born in Tezpur (Asom), he was educated at Tezpur and SGGS College, Chandigarh.

His act of valour relates to eliminating three terrorists of Al Badr of Hizbul Mujahideen in Baramulla district on October 25 last year. He graduated from Officers Training Academy, Chennai in September 2004.

Maj Manish Kukreti of Jat Regiment and Maj Jung Bahadur Singh of Army Service Corps/Rashtriya Rifles have both been awarded the Sena Medal for the second time.

Maj Kukreti was awarded the Sena Medal for the first time in 1999. He belongs to Dehradun, Uttaranchal. He graduated from the National Defence Academy in June 1993.

UNI DG PA HT1804