Indian Army Majors Mustafa Bohara, Vikas Bhambhu Awarded The Shaurya Chakra Posthumously

President Droupadi Murmu has approved 76 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on the occasion of 77th Independence Day. These include four Kirti Chakra (posthumous), 11 Shaurya Chakras, including five posthumous, two Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 52 Sena Medals (Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

Among 11 Shaurya Chakras, including five posthumous awardees, Indian Army Majors Vikas Bhambhu and Mustafa Bohara were awarded the 'Shaurya Chakra' posthumously for flying away their crashing ALH Dhruv Rudra helicopter from a built-up area and an ammunition point in Arunachal Pradesh in October 2022 saving many precious lives.

The two pilots lost their lives in the crash despite having the liberty to land in an open area but this could have caused damage to the ammunition point and civilians on the ground.

Major Vikas Bhambhu hailed from Rampuriya village in the Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan while Major Mustafa Bohara hailed from Kheroda village in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan. At least five Army personnel are believed to have died in a helicopter crash of the Indian Army near Migging village in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district on October 21 last year. 

“An army aviation ALH WSI helicopter which took off from Lekabali crashed on 21st October at 10: 43hrs around Migging (South of Tutting) in Arunachal Pradesh. A joint search and rescue operation of Army and Airforce was launched immediately which included 1 MI17, 2 ALh and 3 Columns of the Indian Army,” the Army said in an official statement.

List of Gallantry Awards approved by the President 

KIRTI CHAKRA

1. LATE SHRI DILIP KUMAR DAS, INSP/GD, CRPF (POSTHUMOUS)
2. LATE SHRI RAJ KUMAR YADAVA, HC/GD, CRPF (POSTHUMOUS)
3. LATE SHRI BABLU RABHA, CONSTABLE/GD, CRPF (POSTHUMOUS)
4. LATE SHRI SAMBHU ROY, CONSTABLE C/GD, CRPF (POSTHUMOUS)

SHAURYA CHAKRA

1. MAJOR VIJAY VERMA
2. MAJOR VIKAS BHAMBHU (POSTHUMOUS)
3. MAJOR MUSTAFA BOHARA (POSTHUMOUS)
4. MAJOR SACHIN NEGI
5. MAJOR RAJENDRA PRASAD JAT
6. MAJOR RAVINDER SINGH RAWAT
7. HAV VIVEK SINGH TOMAR (POSTHUMOUS)
8. NAIK BHIM SINGH
9. RIFLEMAN KULBUSHAN MANTA (POSTHUMOUS)
10. SHRI SAIFULLAH QADRI (POSTHUMOUS)
11. SHRI GAMIT MUKESH KUMAR

BAR TO SENA MEDAL (GALLANTRY)

1. MAJOR NITISH TYAGI
2. MAJOR A RANJITH KUMAR

SENA MEDAL (GALLANTRY)

1. LIEUTENANT COLONEL YOGESH KUMAR SATI
2. LIEUTENANT COLONEL DHRUV RAJAN
3. MAJOR ABHIMANYU REPSWAL
4. MAJOR NEIKHOTSO SECU ANGAMI
5. MAJOR VIKAS GIRI
6. MAJOR ABHISHEK TYAGI
7. MAJOR BORAWAKE APOORV SUHAS
8. MAJOR AASHISH DHONCHAK
9. MAJOR NAVDEEP GOSWAMI
10. MAJOR RISHABH NEGI
11. MAJOR SANJAY SINGH JAMWAL
12. MAJOR ABHISHEK KATOCH
13. MAJOR SAURABH KUMAR
14. MAJOR RANJIT KUMAR
15. MAJOR SANTOSH KUMAR
16. MAJOR RISHABH KUMAR NASHINE
17. MAJOR RONISH KUMAR
18. MAJOR DHUMAL ROHAN SHAHAJI
19. MAJOR MAANAS NARLA
20. MAJOR JAIVEER YADAV
21. MAJOR THAKRE AKASH ASHOK
22. MAJOR VIKAS LAMBA
23. CAPTAIN AAYUSH CHAUHAN
24. CAPTAIN SAURABH GUPTA
25. CAPTAIN CHETAN SINGH
26. RISALDAR SANJAY KUMAR
27. NAIB SUBEDAR DIPTI KUMAR HAZWARI
28. HAVILDAR MANOJ KUMAR
29. HAVILDAR ARUN KUMAR
30. HAVILDAR RANVEER SINGH
31. HAVILDAR PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH
32. NAIK SOVINDRA KUMAR
33. NAIK DHARMVIR
34. NAIK HARDEEP SINGH
35. NAIK MUNISH KUMAR
36. NAIK SATYENDRA SINGH
37. NAIK KHEMCHAND
38. NAIK HARJINDER SINGH
39. NAIK RAFIQ AHMAD MIR
40. NAIK ABHISHEK
41. NAIK SANWRA CHOUDHARY
42. SEPOY YASHWANT SINGH
43. SEPOY AKASHDEEP SINGH
44. SEPOY SATERAM
45. SEPOY LAKSHMI NARAYAN ADHANA
46. SEPOY DHAN SINGH GURJAR
47. SEPOY VIKASH
48. RIFLEMAN SHAHEEN HUSAIN GANIE
49. SOWAR RAVI SHARMA
50. SAPPER VISHAL YADAV
51. GRENADIER SALIM KHAN
52. GUNNER RAMALINGAM K

NAO SENA MEDAL (GALLANTRY)

1. LIEUTENANT COMMANDER PANNEERSELVAM VISHNU PRASANNA 
2. COMMANDER KAUSTAB BANERJEE
3. COMMANDER HANISH SINGH KARKI 

VAYU SENA MEDAL (GALLANTRY)

1. WING COMMANDER SHIV KUMAR CHAUHAN 
2. WING COMMANDER SHREY TOMAR
3. SQUADRON LEADER GL VINEETH 
4. FLIGHT LIEUTENANT PRADEEP MURUGAN 

The President has also approved 30 Mention-in-Despatches to the Army, including to Army dog Madhu (Posthumous), and one to Air Force personnel for their significant contributions to different military operations. The operations include Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Casualty Evacuation, Operation Mount Chomo, Operation Pangsau Pass, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Orchid, Operation Kalisham Valley, Rescue Operation and Operation Evacuation.