Gallantry, Distinguished Service Awards Presented

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) President APJ Abdul Kalam today conferred three Kirti Chakras -- all posthumous -- and 20 Shaurya Chakras -- ten posthumous -- at a glittering ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here this evening.

The Kirti Chakras were conferred upon Infantry personnel Major MH Pitambare, Captain Vishal Bhandral and Lieutenant Natrajan Parthiban.

Maj MH Pitambare, a paratrooper from the 3 Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), sacrificed his life in November 2006 while fighting militants holed up in a house in Anantnag District of Jammu&Kashmir. At great personal risk, he extricated a critically injured comrade before eliminating a terrorist -- he himself was fatally wounded in the process.

Capt Vishal Bhandral, from the Garhwal Rifles, was posted in a Rashtriya Rifles battalion. This officer was martyred in September 2006 in a heroic action against militants holed up in a house near Bandipura in Baramulla District of J&K.

He shot dead one terrorist at close range and, displaying raw courage, gave hot pursuit to and eliminated a second fleeing terrorist who had taken refuge in a grove. Capt Bhandral was himself fatally wounded in the process.

He was injured earlier also during a counter-insurgency operation in Asom. Capt Bhandral was a bachelor and belonged to Vikaspuri in New Delhi.

Lt N Parthiban, of Jammu&Kashmir Light Infantry, was martyred in October 2006, in an encounter with militants along the Line of Control in J &K.

In a heroic action, Lt Parthiban and his 'buddy' closed in on the terrorists hiding in the forest and, despite being wounded, Lt Parthiban charged on to the terrorists and killed two of them single-handedly in close combat -- before himself succumbing to injuries.

He is the son of an Army veteran Major V Natarajan. He hailed from Chennai.

Besides the Kirti Chakras and the Shaurya Chakras, the President also presented 10 Param Vishisht Sewa Medals (PVSM) and 16 Ati Vishisht Sewa Medals (AVSM).

UNI