Jharkhand Personnel to Receive Gallantry, Service Medals | 16 Aug 2024

Why in News?

According to the sources, as part of the 78th Independence Day celebrations, 19 employees and officials from Jharkhand were honored for their exemplary service and bravery in a special ceremony in Delhi.

Key Points

  • Garhwa Superintendent of Police (SP) Deepak Kumar Pandey to be awarded gallantry medal for eliminating rewarded Naxalite.
    • The other recipients of the gallantry medal includes Sub Inspector Vishwajeet Kumar Singh, Havildar Umesh Singh, Constable Subhash Das, Constable Gopal Ganjhu, Constable Ravindra Toppo, and Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Sachchidanand Singh.
  • 11 police personnel from Jharkhand will receive the commendable service medal.
    • The recipients include Head Constable Salomi Minj, Constable Vimal Kumar Chhetri, Constable Randhir Kumar Singh, Constable Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, Constable Hema Rani Kullu, Head Constable Sanjay Oraon, Head Constable Arun Oraon, Constable Rekha Kumari, Head Constable Rituraj, Head Constable Rajendra Ram, and Head Constable Sanjay Kumar.

Gallantry Awards

  • Gallantry Awards have been instituted by the Government of India to honour the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces, other lawfully constituted Forces and civilians.
  • Post-independence, the first three gallantry awards namely Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra were instituted by the Government of India on 26th January 1950 and were deemed to have effect from the 15th August 1947.
    • After that, other three gallantry awards i.e. Ashoka Chakra Class-I, Ashoka Chakra Class-II and Ashoka Chakra Class-III were instituted by the Government of India on 4th January, 1952, which were deemed to have effect from the 15th August, 1947.
      • These awards were renamed as Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra respectively in January, 1967.
  • These gallantry awards are announced twice in a year, first on the occasion of the Republic Day and then on the occasion of the Independence Day.
  • Gallantry awards are categorized into two types:
    • Wartime Gallantry Awards
      • These awards are given for bravery in the face of the enemy.
    • Peacetime Gallantry Awards
      • These awards are given for bravery other than in the face of the enemy.
  • Order of precedence of these awards is the Param Vir Chakra, the Ashoka Chakra, the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra.