Independence Day 2026: 78 Gallantry Awards for Armed Forces, CAPFs
Synopsis
India's 80th Independence Day honours carry a sobering weight: 13 of the 78 gallantry awards approved by President Droupadi Murmu are posthumous, with seven of nine Kirti Chakras going to personnel who did not survive their operations. The Para Special Forces dominate the Army list, and two Agniveers earning Mention-in-Despatches signal that the Agnipath generation is already in the field — and taking fire.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu has approved 78 gallantry awards on the eve of India's 80th Independence Day .
13 awards are posthumous; seven of nine Kirti Chakras have been awarded posthumously.
All three Army Kirti Chakras went to personnel of the Parachute Regiment's Special Forces .
Six CAPF personnel received Kirti Chakras posthumously for operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast .
89 Mention-in-Despatches approved — 75 Army , 10 Air Force , four Navy .
No Ashoka Chakra — India's highest peacetime gallantry award — has been announced this year.
President Droupadi Murmu has approved 78 gallantry awards for personnel of the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) on the eve of India's 80th Independence Day, recognising acts of exceptional courage across Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast, and other high-risk operational theatres. The honours include 13 posthumous awards, underscoring the human cost of ongoing counter-insurgency and border operations.
Full Breakdown of Awards
The approved list comprises nine Kirti Chakras — of which seven are posthumous — one Bar to Shaurya Chakra, 19 Shaurya Chakras, five Bars to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 36 Sena Medals, three Nao Sena Medals, and five Vayu Sena Medals. Additionally, 89 Mention-in-Despatches have been approved — 75 Army, 10 Air Force, and four Navy personnel. Notably, no Ashoka Chakra — the nation's highest peacetime gallantry honour — has been announced this year.
Army Recipients: Para Special Forces Lead
All three Army Kirti Chakras have gone to personnel of the Parachute Regiment's Special Forces. Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis PF of 21 Para (Special Forces), already a Shaurya Chakra holder, and Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 Para (Special Forces) have been awarded the Kirti Chakra. Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 Para (Special Forces) receives the honour posthumously.
The remaining six Kirti Chakras have been awarded posthumously to CAPF personnel: Head Constables Jagbir Singh and Bashir Ahmad, Special Grade Constables Jaswant Singh, Balvinder Singh, and Tariq Hussain, and Special Task Force Inspector Sunil Kumar.
Major Aditya Pratap Singh of the Rajputana Rifles, serving with 44 Assam Rifles and already a Shaurya Chakra and Sena Medal recipient, has been awarded a Bar to the Shaurya Chakra. Five posthumous Sena Medals have also been approved — four for personnel of 19 Rashtriya Rifles (Lance Havildar Palash Ghosh, Lance Naik Sujay Ghosh, Lance Naik Pritpal Singh, and Sepoy Harminder Singh) and one for Subedar Perbhat Gaur of 9 Rashtriya Rifles. Lance Naik Narender Sindhu of the same unit is the sole posthumous Shaurya Chakra recipient in the Army list.
Navy and Air Force Honoured
Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar of the Indian Navy has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra. Three Navy personnel — Commander Yuvraj Kumar, Commander Vineet Sharma, and Petty Officer Avinash Annaso — have received Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry). Four additional Navy personnel feature in the Mention-in-Despatches list: Commander Nikhil Chugh, Lieutenant Ajay Jose N Joseph, Abhishek Dhanawade (Sea I, CD), and Ashwin Santhosh (AVR Sea, CD).
In the Indian Air Force, Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar is the sole Shaurya Chakra recipient. Group Captains Rahul Jagotta and Rahul Rawat are among the five personnel awarded the Vayu Sena Medal.
Operations Cited and Other Distinctions
Most Army citations relate to Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir and Operations Hifazat and Orchid in the Northeast. Additional citations cover Operation Snow Leopard in eastern Ladakh and Operation Meghdoot in the Siachen Glacier region. Two Agniveers of 2 Mahar — Hariom and Krishan Kumar — have been named in the Mention-in-Despatches list for Operation Hifazat, marking a notable recognition for personnel under the relatively new Agnipath scheme. Army Dog Tyson of the Remount Veterinary Corps, attached to 2 Para (Special Forces), has also received the distinction — a rare honour for a canine unit member.
The awards will be formally conferred as the nation marks its 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026, with families of posthumous recipients set to receive the honours on behalf of their fallen kin.
Point of View
Even as operational tempo in J&K and the Northeast stays elevated. The posthumous weight of this year's list — seven of nine Kirti Chakras awarded to the fallen — is a quiet testament to the lethality of ongoing counter-insurgency missions that rarely make front pages. The inclusion of two Agniveers in the Mention-in-Despatches list is politically significant: it offers the government early evidence that Agnipath recruits are operationally deployed and recognised, a counter-narrative to critics who have questioned the scheme's combat readiness implications.
NationPress
15 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many gallantry awards were approved for Independence Day 2026?
President Droupadi Murmu approved 78 gallantry awards for Armed Forces and CAPF personnel on the eve of India's 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026. The list includes 13 posthumous honours across multiple categories.
Who received the Kirti Chakra on Independence Day 2026?
Nine Kirti Chakras were approved in total — three for Army personnel and six for CAPF personnel, with seven of the nine awarded posthumously. Army recipients include Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis PF and Major Jitendra Rathee of the Para Special Forces, while six CAPF personnel including Head Constables Jagbir Singh and Bashir Ahmad received the honour posthumously.
Was the Ashoka Chakra awarded this Independence Day?
No Ashoka Chakra — India's highest peacetime gallantry award — has been announced for Independence Day 2026. This makes it a notable absence from an otherwise extensive list of 78 awards.
Which operations are cited in the Independence Day 2026 gallantry awards?
Most Army citations relate to Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir and Operations Hifazat and Orchid in the Northeast. Additional honours cover Operation Snow Leopard in eastern Ladakh and Operation Meghdoot in the Siachen Glacier region.
Were any Agniveers recognised in the 2026 gallantry awards?
Yes, two Agniveers of 2 Mahar — Hariom and Krishan Kumar — have been named in the Mention-in-Despatches list for Operation Hifazat in the Northeast. It is among the first such formal recognitions for personnel recruited under the Agnipath scheme.
