President Droupadi Murmu conferred 51 gallantry awards to personnel of the Defence Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and State/Union Territory Police during Phase-I of the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on June 08, 2026. The awards recognized acts of raw courage, unparalleled bravery, and total disregard to personal safety in the line of duty.
The awards distribution included 07 Kirti Chakras (02 posthumous), 15 Vir Chakras (03 posthumous), and 29 Shaurya Chakras (01 posthumous). Recipients represented multiple services including the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, CRPF, and various state police forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The awardees were recognized for actions spanning from April 16, 2024, to January 26, 2026. The list includes personnel from various regiments and units including 19 Sikh, The Rajputana Rifles, 44 Assam Rifles, 7 Para (Special Forces), 26 Assam Rifles, 50 Rashtriya Rifles, 11 Para (SF), 32 Assam Rifles, 5 Para (SF), 42 RR, 21 Para (SF), 6 Para (SF), 4 Para (Special Forces), 33 Assam Rifles, and various CRPF battalions.
Notable awardees include Lieutenant Colonel Neetesh Bharti Shukla (19 Sikh), Major Aditya Pratap Singh (The Rajputana Rifles), Lieutenant Commander Suraj Prashar (Navy), Wing Commander Abhimanyu Singh (Air Force), Colonel Koshank Lamba (302 Medium Regiment), Group Captain Ranjeet Singh Sidhu (Air Force), and Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (Air Force). The posthumous awards honored personnel including Sepoy Janjal Pravin Prabhakar (The Mahar Regiment) and Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari (The Army Service Corps).