President approves 127 gallantry awards, including 4 Kirti Chakras and 15 Vir Chakras, on eve of I-Day 2025
President Droupadi Murmu approved 127 gallantry awards, 40 distinguished service awards and 290 Mention-in-Despatches for the Armed Forces and CAPF personnel on 14 August 2025, the eve of the 79th Independence Day.
Summary
President Droupadi Murmu approved 127 Gallantry awards and 40 Distinguished Service awards to personnel of the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces on 14 August 2025, the eve of Independence Day. The awards comprise 4 Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras, 16 Shaurya Chakras, 2 Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 58 Sena Medals (Gallantry), 6 Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), 26 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), 7 Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals, 9 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals and 24 Yudh Seva Medals. Kirti Chakras went to Captain Lalrinawma Sailo (4 Para Special Forces), Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari (1 Sikkim Scouts), Lance Naik Meenatchi Sundaram A (34 Rashtriya Rifles) and Sepoy Janjal Pravin Prabhakar (1 Rashtriya Rifles). Vir Chakra awardees included IAF Group Captains Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Manish Arora, Animesh Patni and Kunal Kalra. The President also approved 290 Mention-in-Despatches: 115 for the Army, 5 for the Navy, 167 for the Air Force and 3 for the Border Roads Development Board.
Key facts
- Approved
- 14 Aug 2025, eve of 79th Independence Day
- Gallantry awards
- 127
- Distinguished service awards
- 40
- Kirti Chakra
- 4
- Vir Chakra
- 15
- Shaurya Chakra
- 16
- Mention-in-Despatches
- 290 – Army 115, Navy 5, IAF 167, BRDB 3
Practice MCQs 4 questions
How many Kirti Chakras were approved by the President on the eve of Independence Day 2025?
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Correct answer: B — 4
The President approved 4 Kirti Chakras among the 127 Gallantry awards on the eve of Independence Day 2025.
How many Gallantry awards in total did the President approve for Armed Forces and CAPF personnel on the eve of Independence Day 2025?
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Correct answer: A — 127
The President approved 127 Gallantry awards and 40 Distinguished Service awards on the eve of Independence Day 2025.
Consider the following statements about the defence awards approved on the eve of Independence Day 2025: 1. Vir Chakra awardees included Group Captains of the Indian Air Force. 2. The largest share of the 290 Mention-in-Despatches went to the Indian Army. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct: Group Captains Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Manish Arora, Animesh Patni and Kunal Kalra of the IAF were among the Vir Chakra awardees. Statement 2 is incorrect: the Indian Air Force received 167 of the 290 Mention-in-Despatches, against 115 for the Army.
Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari of 1 Sikkim Scouts was approved for which award on the eve of Independence Day 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Kirti Chakra
Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari of The Army Service Corps, 1 Sikkim Scouts, was one of the four Kirti Chakra awardees.