NEW DELHI: Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has won its highest number of gallantry medals this Independence Day eve: 23, of which 20 have been awarded to the bravehearts who resisted advancing Chinese PLA troops during skirmishes in eastern Ladakh in May-June last year.
Twenty army personnel were killed in the clashes with the Chinese troops at Galwan Nala in June last year.
The ITBP on Saturday confirmed that this is the highest number of Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) it has ever won.
While eight ITBP personnel were honoured with the PMG for their gallant acts, meticulous planning and tactical insightfulness while defending the country at Galwan Nalla on June 15, 2020, six were awarded for their action during the violent face-off in Finger 4 area on May 18. Six others were awarded the PMG for their brave acts near Hot Springs in Ladakh on May 18, 2020.
Three other ITBP personnel bagged the PMG “for displaying courage, grit and determination in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh”, said an ITBP statement.
The 20 ITBP personnel honoured for gallant acts in Eastern Ladakh are Rinku Thapa, Sarat Kumar Tripathi, Arbind Kumar Mahato, Nitin Kumar, Manish Kumar, Patil Sachin Mohan, Manish Kumar, Kauppasamy M, Akshay Ahuja, Dharmendra Kumar Vishwakarma, Ravindra Maharana, Shiv Shankar Tiwari, Stanzin Thinles, Vinod Kumar Sharma, Kishor Singh Bisht, Pankaj Srivastava, Ghanshyam Sahu, Ashraf Ali, Mohd Shafkat Mir and Rigzin Dawa.
The ITPB said that its troops not only effectively used shields to protect themselves in the eastern Ladakh but also responded fiercely to the advancing troops of the PLA and brought the situation under control during fierce face-offs and skirmishes last year. “With highest order of professional skills, the ITBP troops fought shoulder to shoulder and also brought the injured personnel to the rear. Even when the ITBP troops fought the whole night, they received minimum casualties by giving a befitting reply to the stone-pelters of the PLA. At places, they gave a determined stand-off for 17-20 hours and through the intervening night in extremely challenging conditions,” the ITBP statement added.
According to the ITBP public relations officer (PRO), it was due to its high-altitude training and survival experience in the Himalayan deployments, the ITBP troops could keep the PLA at bay. “Due to the all-out and befitting response of the ITBP troops at several fronts, many areas were safeguarded,” he added.
The ITBP personnel further said its troops showed the highest level of devotion, courage, determination and utter disregard to personal safety even while injured.
Besides these gallantry medals, 300 ITBP personnel had earlier received the DG’s commendation roll and insignias for bravery, in September 2020.
Twenty army personnel were killed in the clashes with the Chinese troops at Galwan Nala in June last year.
The ITBP on Saturday confirmed that this is the highest number of Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) it has ever won.
While eight ITBP personnel were honoured with the PMG for their gallant acts, meticulous planning and tactical insightfulness while defending the country at Galwan Nalla on June 15, 2020, six were awarded for their action during the violent face-off in Finger 4 area on May 18. Six others were awarded the PMG for their brave acts near Hot Springs in Ladakh on May 18, 2020.
Three other ITBP personnel bagged the PMG “for displaying courage, grit and determination in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh”, said an ITBP statement.
The 20 ITBP personnel honoured for gallant acts in Eastern Ladakh are Rinku Thapa, Sarat Kumar Tripathi, Arbind Kumar Mahato, Nitin Kumar, Manish Kumar, Patil Sachin Mohan, Manish Kumar, Kauppasamy M, Akshay Ahuja, Dharmendra Kumar Vishwakarma, Ravindra Maharana, Shiv Shankar Tiwari, Stanzin Thinles, Vinod Kumar Sharma, Kishor Singh Bisht, Pankaj Srivastava, Ghanshyam Sahu, Ashraf Ali, Mohd Shafkat Mir and Rigzin Dawa.
The ITPB said that its troops not only effectively used shields to protect themselves in the eastern Ladakh but also responded fiercely to the advancing troops of the PLA and brought the situation under control during fierce face-offs and skirmishes last year. “With highest order of professional skills, the ITBP troops fought shoulder to shoulder and also brought the injured personnel to the rear. Even when the ITBP troops fought the whole night, they received minimum casualties by giving a befitting reply to the stone-pelters of the PLA. At places, they gave a determined stand-off for 17-20 hours and through the intervening night in extremely challenging conditions,” the ITBP statement added.
According to the ITBP public relations officer (PRO), it was due to its high-altitude training and survival experience in the Himalayan deployments, the ITBP troops could keep the PLA at bay. “Due to the all-out and befitting response of the ITBP troops at several fronts, many areas were safeguarded,” he added.
The ITBP personnel further said its troops showed the highest level of devotion, courage, determination and utter disregard to personal safety even while injured.
Besides these gallantry medals, 300 ITBP personnel had earlier received the DG’s commendation roll and insignias for bravery, in September 2020.
