NEW DELHI: The Union home ministry on Monday announced a list of gallantry awards for Republic Day celebrations of 2021.
Republic Day is celebrated to commemorate the day the Indian Constitution came into power. This year's celebrations mark the 72nd Republic Day, since it was first observed in 1950. Republic Day celebrations are marked by a parade by the Indian Army, Indian Navy Force and Indian Air Force, accompanied by various air shows at Rajpath in New Delhi.
Along with the parades, one essential segment of Republic Day celebrations is the awards presentation ceremony. Police, defence personnel and children who have performed expectational and outstanding deeds of bravery and displayed selfless sacrifice are awarded the gallantry medals.
Military personnel are awarded the bravery medals, Param Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra. Children are awarded with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.
The medals awarded by the President on Republic Day include President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, President's Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG), Police Medal for Meritorious Service, Force-wise/State-wise Medal Awardees, Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, President's Fire Service Medal for Gallantry, President's Home Guards & Civil Defence Medal for Distinguished Service and Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards.
Mahavir Chakra was awarded to Col Bikumalla Santosh Babu, 16 Bihar, posthumously.
Vir Chakra was awarded to NB Sub Nuduram Soren, 16 Bihar (Posthumous), Hav K Palani, 81 FD Regt (Posthumous), Hav Tejinder Singh, 3 Med REGT, NK Deepak Singh, AMC, 16 Bihar (Posthumous), Sep Gurtej Singh, 3 Punjab (Posthumous)
Kirti Chakra was awarded to Sub Sanjiv Kumar, 4 Para (SF) (Posthumous).
Shaurya Chakra was awarded to Maj Anuj Sood, Guards, 21 RR (Posthumous), RFN Pranab Jyoti Das, 6 Assam RIF and PTR Sonam Tshering Tamang, 4 PARA (SF).
964 police personnel have been awarded medals for their bravery and services. Among the majority of the 207 Gallantry Awards, 01 PPMG to Jharkhand (Posthumous) & 01 PPMG to CRPF (Posthumous) is being awarded, 137 personnel are being awarded for their gallant action in Jammu & Kashmir, 24 personnel for their gallant action in Left Wing Extremism affected areas and 01 personnel for their gallant action in North-East Region. Among the personnel receiving Gallantry Awards, 68 are from CRPF, 52 are from J&K Police, 20 are from BSF and 17 are from Delhi Police, 13 are from Maharashtra and 08 are from Chhattisgarh and 08 are from Uttar Pradesh and the remaining from the other States/UTs and CAPFs.
The Ministry also announced that the President has approved the list of 119 Padma Awardees- seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri.
Padma Awards is one of the highest civilian honours of India. They are announced annually on Republic Day. They are awarded in three categories -- Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service).
Among the list of Padma awardees are twenty-nine women, 10 persons from the category of foreigners, NRI, PIO AND OCI and one transgender. Sixteen people have been given the award posthumously.
The former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and late singer SP Balasubramaniam were named for this year's Padma Vibhushan. Former Chief Ministers late Tarun Gogoi and Keshubhai Patel, former Union Minister late Ram Vilas Paswan and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan have been awarded Padma Bhushan.
Here's a detailed list of the Padma Awardees:
Padma Vibhushan Awardees:
Padma Bhushan Awardees:
Padma Shri Awardees:
Padma awards are presented by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year.
Also Watch: R Day Celebrations Assam Governor, Ministers Hoist Tri Colour in Different Parts of Assam