Kerala’s first Ashoka Chakra winner dies

Thiruvananthapuram: Havildar Alby D’Cruz, the first Keralite to receive the Ashoka Chakra award, died at his residence here on Tuesday. He was 87. His family said that he died of age-related ailments.
While serving as Lance Naik with 14 Assam Rifles, he received the Ashoka Chakra (class 3) from President Rajendra Prasad in 1962. The Ashoka Chakra class-3 which was instituted in 1952 was renamed as the Shaurya Chakra in 1967. The Shaurya Chakra is awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy and is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra.
As per the citation, L/Naik Alby D’Cruz, who was in charge of signal communications, manned the wireless set without any rest and maintained signal communications throughout the critical days of a siege of Assam Rifles post in 1960 by about 500 hostiles. The citation notes that in order to keep his signal communications, he disregarded his personal safety and crawled 30 yards out of the post to the petrol bunker to bring petrol for the charging engine. When hostile fire pinned him down, he boldly walked through the fire carrying the jerrycan till he reached the post.
Throughout the siege, Alby D’Cruz not only maintained the signal communications but also displayed commendable courage, devotion to duty and leadership of a high order, the gallantry award citation reads.
He retired from service in 1975 and settled with his family at Cheriyathura. He is survived by his wife Metilda, children, Gladiston, Sobha and Ignatius. The funeral will be held at Assumption Church, Cheriyathura at 10am on Wednesday. Transport minister