Two Kirti Chakras, 10 Shaurya Chakras Awarded for Acts of Bravery in 2025

Major Arshdeep Singh of 1 Assam Rifles and Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), have been awarded the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, for displaying exceptional courage, leadership and valour during high-risk counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in 2025.

President Droupadi Murmu approved the conferment of Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards on Indian Army personnel. Under the Chakra series, two Kirti Chakras and ten Shaurya Chakras were awarded, including one Shaurya Chakra posthumously. Other gallantry awards include one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry) and 44 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five of them posthumous.

Major Arshdeep Singh was honoured for his actions on May 14, 2025, when he led a special patrol along the Indo-Myanmar Border that came under sudden and unprovoked fire from a dominating height. Displaying exceptional bravery, he assaulted the enemy position through dense undergrowth under intense fire and neutralised multiple armed cadres, including one carrying an RPG launcher, ensuring zero casualties to his own troops.

Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba received the Kirti Chakra for his actions on April 11, 2025, during a counter-terrorist operation in the forests of Kishtwar district. Despite heavy hostile fire, he manoeuvred fearlessly, closed in on terrorists with complete disregard for personal safety, eliminated a hardcore foreign terrorist at point-blank range and neutralised another.

Lieutenant Colonel Ghatage Aditya Shrikumar of 21 Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for planning and personally leading a precision strike along the Indo-Myanmar Border between July 11 and 13, 2025. The operation resulted in the destruction of a fortified militant camp and the elimination of nine armed cadres, including senior leadership of a notorious anti-national group.

Major Anshul Baltoo of 32 Assam Rifles was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his actions on April 29, 2025, during a combing operation in Dima Hasao district of Assam. In a fierce encounter, he single-handedly neutralised an armed cadre, contributing to the elimination of three militants and recovery of weapons and war-like stores.

Major Shivkant Yadav of 5th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), received the Shaurya Chakra for leading his squad on the night of May 12–13, 2025, in the inhospitable terrain of Shopian district. He pursued terrorists under heavy fire, neutralised a Category ‘A’ terrorist in close-quarter combat and enabled the successful elimination of the remaining terrorists.

Major Vivek of 42 Rashtriya Rifles was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his actions on May 15, 2025, during a cordon and search operation in Pulwama district. He ensured civilian safety, maintained cordon integrity under intense fire and neutralised a Category ‘A’ terrorist in close combat, preventing escape and safeguarding his troops.

Major Leishangthem Deepak Singh of 11 Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), was honoured with the Shaurya Chakra for spearheading a high-risk rescue and kinetic operation involving kidnapped civilians. He closed in under heavy fire, neutralised terrorists at close range and successfully rescued an innocent civilian.

Captain Yogender Singh Thakur of 6 Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), received the Shaurya Chakra for his actions on July 21, 2025, during an ambush operation in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district. He 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 was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his role on May 14, 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 was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously for his actions on September 19, 2025, during a counter-terrorist operation in the high reaches of Kishtwar district. He 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 received the Shaurya Chakra for his actions on June 9, 2025, during a counter-infiltration operation in Tengnoupal district of Manipur. As the lead scout, he held his ground under intense fire and neutralised three armed cadres.

Rifleman Dhurba Jyoti Dutta of 33 Assam Rifles was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his actions on September 19, 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 heavy fire, saving the lives of eight fellow soldiers.

The President also approved 19 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 35 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals and seven Yudh Seva Medals for distinguished service and operational leadership. In addition, two Bars to Sena Medals (Distinguished) and 43 Sena Medals (Distinguished) were approved.

A total of 85 Vishisht Seva Medals were also conferred, along with 81 Mention-in-Despatches for operations including Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid and Operation Meghdoot, as well as for rescue and casualty evacuation duties.