Lt Colonel Krishan Rawat, Major Anil Urs, Havaldar Alok Kumar Dubey to be felicitated with ‘Shaurya Chakra’: Army

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New Delhi: Indian Army on Friday (August 14, 2020) announced that Lieutenant Colonel Krishan Rawat, Major Anil Urs and Havaldar Alok Kumar Dubey will be awarded ‘Shaurya Chakra’ for gallantry in different operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

A release from the Defence Ministry said that on the eve of 74th Independence Day, President Ram Nath Kovind has approved gallantry awards for defence personnel, including ‘Shaurya Chakra’ to three from the Army for counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Wing Commander Vishak Nair from the Indian Air Force has also been chosen for the prestigious Shaurya Chakra.

Lt. Col Krishan Singh Rawat, who is among those chosen for the ‘Shaurya Chakra’, is from the elite Special Forces.

Thirty-one Army personnel too have been awarded the Sena (gallantry) medal this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver his seventh straight Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Saturday -- an address that comes amid the coronavirus pandemic, a border standoff with China and a slew of reforms by the government under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

All eyes will be on what the prime minister says as his August 15 addresses have often been marked by big announcements, his government's achievements and bringing to people's attention what he believes to be the major challenges facing the country.

Fresh from his re-election with a thumping mandate, PM Modi, in his Independence Day speech last year, had highlighted his government's move to bring in the law against triple talaq and to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

He had also underlined the need for population control and the country's vision to achieve a USD 5 trillion economy.

The government's efforts to deal with COVID-19 are likely to be in focus when Modi addresses the nation on its 74th Independence Day.

The Modi 2.0 government is now into its second year and is in the midst of carrying out wide-ranging economic reforms to boost the economy which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.