On the eve of Independence Day, 2026, Chhattisgarh's police force earned a national salute — 141 gallantry medals for their sustained campaign against Maoist insurgency, the highest-stakes internal security fight on Indian soil. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai marked the occasion with a tribute to the personnel who have spent years pushing back against left-wing extremism in the state's dense, contested forests.

Posting in Hindi on the eve of August 15, CM Sai wrote: 'Maowad aatank ke khilaf nirnayak ladai mein unke veeratapurna yogdan ko Swatantrata Diwas ke avasarpar 141 veerata padkon se sammanit kiya jaana poore Chhattisgarh ke liye gaurav ka vishay hai' — ('Honouring their valiant contribution in the decisive fight against Maoist terror with 141 gallantry medals on Independence Day is a matter of pride for all of Chhattisgarh.')

What the medals cover — and who they honour

Beyond the 141 gallantry medals, the awards announced by the central government include 1 President's Police Medal for distinguished service and 10 Police Medals for meritorious service. Personnel from Home Guards, Civil Defence, and correctional services were also recognised for distinguished and commendable contributions — a signal that the counter-insurgency effort extends well beyond frontline combat units.

CM Sai called the honours a salute to the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of personnel who resolved to free Chhattisgarh from the grip of Maoism — and made good on that resolve.

Bastar's long war and a decade of shifting ground

Chhattisgarh, and the Bastar division in particular, has been the most active theatre of India's campaign against left-wing extremism for decades. The Chhattisgarh Police — operating alongside central paramilitary units — has been at the sharp end of operations that have progressively reduced Maoist influence across several districts over the past ten years. Awarding state police forces alongside central units on Independence Day has been a central government practice since at least the early 2000s, but the scale of recognition this year underscores how central the state force has become to the overall effort.

The broader pattern is clear: as security operations have pushed Maoist networks further into shrinking pockets of forest, the state's uniformed personnel have absorbed significant risk — and are now receiving commensurate national recognition for it.

The medals land as the government continues to pair security pressure with development outreach in forested districts. Whether this Independence Day tally marks a turning point in the campaign — or a milestone on a longer road — will become clearer in the security reviews and policy announcements expected in the months ahead.