Army Personnel awarded Sena Medal for Gallantry on Independence Day

Three Army doctors were awarded the Sena Medal for gallantry for taking on terrorists and saving the lives of their colleagues during an attack on Indians in Kabul in 2010. A total of 114 Army personnel were awarded the Sena Medal for gallantry on Independence Day, 15 August 2011 for their acts of valour in different operations across India.

Lieutenant Colonel Sanjiv Kumar Kakkar, Major Sumit Arora and Major Sibashish Metia of the Army Medical Corps were part of the Indian medical mission in Kabul when the terrorists carried out a suicide attack on the hotel where the Indian team was staying. Lieutenant Colonel Sanjiv Kumar Kakkar of the Army Medical Corps was heading the Indian medical mission in Kabul. The officers displayed exceptional bravery, rushed into a hail of bullets to take on the terrorists and herded their colleagues to safety.

For fighting militants bare—handedly in the same attack, Major Laishram Jyotin Singh was posthumously conferred the highest peacetime gallantry award Ashok Chakra on Republic Day 2011.

Major Atul Garje and Major Bhanu Chander were awarded the Sena Medal posthumously for manoeuvring their helicopter away from civilian habitat and ensuring no loss of civilian life on 2 February 2011. The helicopter was manoeuvred away from civilian habitat and ensured no loss to civilian life and property. In the process of recovery, the helicopter impacted the ground and crash landed which resulted in the loss of their lives.