21 CBI officers awarded President's Medal on Independence Day 2026
Synopsis
On Independence Day 2026, the CBI honoured 21 of its own — from constables posted in Madurai and Patna to senior officers in New Delhi and Kolkata. The spread of ranks and locations in this year's President's Medal list reflects how institutional recognition in India's premier investigation agency now reaches well beyond the headline investigators.
Key Takeaways
The CBI honoured 21 officers with President's Medals on Independence Day 2026 , announced on 14 August .
6 officers received the President's Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) , the higher honour.
15 officers and officials were conferred the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) .
Awardees span ranks from Constable to Assistant Inspector General of Police .
Units recognised include the Anti-Corruption Branch , CBI Academy , TAFSU , and Complaint & Coordination Cell across 11 cities .
Twenty-one officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been honoured with the President's Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) on the occasion of Independence Day 2026, the agency confirmed in an official statement on 14 August. The awards recognise exceptional contributions, professionalism, and long-standing commitment to public service across the organisation.
Recipients of the President's Medal for Distinguished Service
Six CBI personnel received the President's Medal for Distinguished Service, the higher of the two honours. The awardees are Shobha Dutta, Assistant Inspector General of Police/Superintendent of Police, Complaint & Coordination Cell, New Delhi; Manoj Banerjee, Additional Superintendent of Police, BSFB, Kolkata; Ginni Rana, Additional Superintendent of Police, CBI Academy, Ghaziabad; Sanjay Kumar Samal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Visakhapatnam; Ramesh Chand, Assistant Sub-Inspector, CBI Headquarters, New Delhi; and Madan Lal Dhiman, Assistant Sub-Inspector, IPCU, New Delhi.
Officers Conferred the Medal for Meritorious Service
A further 15 officers and officials were conferred the Medal for Meritorious Service in recognition of their dedication and distinguished performance across various postings. The recipients include Brijesh Singh, Deputy Legal Advisor, ACB Lucknow; Girish Joshi, Senior System Analyst, TAFSU Mumbai; Manoj Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, ACB Delhi; Om Prakash Chandra, Deputy Superintendent of Police, SCB Kolkata; Zahir Akhtar Ansari, Deputy Superintendent of Police, ACB Ghaziabad; and Ashish Anand, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Complaint & Coordination Cell, New Delhi.
Also honoured were Sarita Yadav, Inspector, AC-II New Delhi; Roshan Kumar, Sub-Inspector, SU New Delhi; Dilbar Singh Bisht, Assistant Sub-Inspector, SC-I New Delhi; Balkar Singh, Head Constable, ACB Chandigarh; Govind Singh Bisht, Head Constable, ACB Lucknow; Kamlesh Kumar Gurjar, Head Constable, ACB Jaipur; Pal Pandian R, Constable, ACB Madurai; Ajay Kumar Singh, Constable, ACB Patna; and Kalyanadurgam Samiullah, Constable, ACB Bengaluru.
Significance of the Awards
The President's Police Medals are conferred annually on Independence Day and Republic Day to recognise outstanding service and professionalism by personnel in government organisations and law enforcement agencies across India. The CBI's haul of 21 medals this cycle spans ranks from constable to senior officer level, reflecting the breadth of contributions being recognised — from field anti-corruption work to technical and legal support roles.
Geographic Spread of Awardees
The honoured officers are drawn from CBI units spread across New Delhi, Kolkata, Ghaziabad, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Madurai, Patna, and Bengaluru — underscoring the national reach of the agency's operations. The inclusion of constable-rank officers among the awardees is notable, signalling institutional recognition for ground-level personnel alongside senior investigators.
Point of View
Or simply reflects a broader pool of nominations, the CBI has not said. What is clear is that with anti-corruption branches from Chandigarh to Bengaluru represented, the agency is projecting a national operational footprint — even as questions about its autonomy and case closure rates remain a subject of public debate.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CBI officers were honoured with President's Medals on Independence Day 2026?
A total of 21 CBI officers were honoured — 6 with the President's Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and 15 with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) on Independence Day 2026.
What is the President's Medal for Distinguished Service?
The President's Medal for Distinguished Service is one of India's highest police honours, awarded annually on Independence Day and Republic Day to recognise exceptional contributions and long-standing commitment to public service by law enforcement personnel.
Who received the President's Medal for Distinguished Service from CBI in 2026?
The six recipients are Shobha Dutta (New Delhi), Manoj Banerjee (Kolkata), Ginni Rana (Ghaziabad), Sanjay Kumar Samal (Visakhapatnam), Ramesh Chand (New Delhi), and Madan Lal Dhiman (New Delhi).
Which CBI units were represented in the Independence Day 2026 awards?
Awardees came from CBI units across New Delhi, Kolkata, Ghaziabad, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Madurai, Patna, and Bengaluru, covering the Anti-Corruption Branch, CBI Academy, TAFSU, and other divisions.
What ranks were included among the CBI medal recipients?
The honoured officers span a wide range of ranks — from Constable and Head Constable at the lower end to Deputy Superintendent of Police, Additional Superintendent of Police, and Assistant Inspector General of Police at senior levels.
