President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Shaurya Chakra on 13 military and police personnel at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also present at the ceremony.

In a ceremony that drew attention to the quiet, often unheralded courage of India's security forces, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday presented the Shaurya Chakra to 13 soldiers and police officers at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among those present.

The honours spanned branches — Army, Navy, and state police — and ranged from counterterrorism operations along the Line of Control to anti-Naxal engagements deep in Chhattisgarh's conflict zones.

Colonel Who Killed Three Terrorists Honoured

Among the most noted recipients was Lieutenant Colonel Nitesh Bharti Shukla of the Indian Army's 19th Battalion, Sikh Regiment, who was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for eliminating three terrorists along the LoC. The citation reflects the kind of direct combat engagement that rarely makes headlines but shapes the security calculus in the border hinterland.

Major Aditya Pratap Singh also received the award for showing exceptional bravery during a military operation in a border area of Arunachal Pradesh, while Major Anshul Baltu of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and 32 Assam Rifles was recognised for his service and demonstrated valour in the field.

Navy's Long-Distance Sailors Recognised

In a departure from the predominantly land-based recognitions, Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A of the Indian Navy were awarded the Shaurya Chakra for their role in the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II expedition — a demanding circumnavigation mission that tested seamanship, determination, and endurance over an extended period. Their inclusion underlines a broadening definition of operational courage within the armed forces.

Chhattisgarh Anti-Naxal Officers in the List

Two police officers from Chhattisgarh — Inspector Laxman Kewat and Inspector Rameshwar Prasad Deshmukh — were also conferred the Shaurya Chakra for bravery during anti-Naxal operations in the state. Chhattisgarh has seen a significant intensification of counterinsurgency operations in recent years, with several high-value encounters drawing national attention. Recognising police officers at this level signals acknowledgment of the state-level forces that carry much of the operational load in left-wing extremism-affected districts.

A Posthumous Honour

The ceremony also carried a sombre note. Martyr Lance Dafadar Baldev Chand of 4 Rashtriya Rifles was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra. President Murmu presented the honour to his wife and mother — a moment that encapsulated both the cost of service and the state's formal recognition of sacrifice.

A Cross-Service Ceremony

The Shaurya Chakra is India's third-highest peacetime gallantry award, given for acts of bravery, courageous action, or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield or in the face of the enemy. Monday's ceremony brought together recipients from diverse operational theatres — Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, the open ocean, and the jungles of central India — in one room. That range, perhaps more than any individual citation, speaks to the breadth of active threat environments Indian forces currently operate within.

With PM Modi in attendance, the event also carried political weight, taking place against the backdrop of continued security operations in border regions and the government's stated commitment to zero tolerance on insurgency.