Nineteen units will receive the Southern Army Commander’s Citations for outstanding contribution. (Representational image)
To honour soldiers for their bravery and distinguished military service, the Southern Command will hold its Investiture Ceremony on February 19, when Army officers and soldiers will be awarded the gallantry medal while 19 units will receive the Southern Army Commander’s Citations for outstanding contribution.
Lieutenant General S K Saini, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command will present the Gallantry and Distinguished awards. During the event, awards for best Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and best Records office will also be given. Some of the Sena Medals (Gallantry) are being awarded to soldiers posthumously.
While these gallantry awards are being given for operations conducted in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017, they are being honoured by the Southern Command as these officers and soldiers are currently posted in the Command’s area of responsibility.
Recipients include Lieutenant Colonel Rakesh Tokas from 1 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces), Major James Jacob from 8 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Major Avijit Singh from 6 Mahar Regiment, Major Sandeep Thapa from 52 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Major Kamal Kumar Chhetri from 8 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion/Army Services Corps, Major Naveen Siger from 4 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces), Major Devinder Pal Singh from 1 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion and Captain Manish Kumar Singh from 2 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces).
Recipients also include Naib Subedar Rongsen Sashi of 2 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces), Havildar Rajaram Tukaram Karambhalkar of 41 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Havildar Gagandeep Singh of 52 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Havildar Lourdhu Raju
Reddy Mosu of 50 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Naik Sandip Sarjerao Jadhav of 15 Maratha Light Infantry who
is being awarded posthumously, Naik Surjeet Singh of 9 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces), Naik Virender Singh of 2 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces), Lance Naik Vipin Kumar of 50 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Lance Naik Rajpati Shahni of 2 Parachute
Battalion (Special Forces), Sepoy Savan Mane of 15 Maratha Light Infantry and Rifleman Krishna Chandra Jakhmola of 10 Garhwal Rifles who is being awarded posthumously.
