BHUBANESWAR: Naib Subedar Nuduram Soren of Mayurbhanj district has been named for the Vir Chakra award posthumously. Soren was among the 20 soldiers martyred at Galwan Valley along the India-China border during a violent face-off with their Chinese counterparts in June last year.
In another development, two officers of Odisha have been awarded the President’s police medal for distinguished service on the occasion of 72nd Republic Day.
Radha Kishan Sharma, a 1995 batch IPS officer and posted as Director Intelligence, and Budhi Bahadur Thapa posted as deputy subedar in Biju Patnaik State Police Academy (BPSPA) have been awarded President’s police medal.
Eleven police personnel including IPS officer S Praveen Kumar posted as IG Law and Order, have also been awarded police medal for meritorious service. Platoon commander Rajkumar Pal posted in Bhadrak district and three home guards were awarded home guards and civil defence medal.
Home guards Pradip Kumar Pattanaik and Sudam Charan Pattanaik were awarded President’s home guards and civil defence medal for distinguished service. Home guard, Banawasi Moharana, who was killed by ganja mafia in Malkangiri, was awarded President’s home guards and civil defence medal for gallantry posthumously.
Four personnel of Odisha Fire Service were awarded fire service medal, leading fireman Kamala Kanta Puhan received President's fire service medal and another leading fireman Kasyap Kumar Pattanaik was awarded fire service medal for gallantry. Around 20 personnel of Odisha Police were also awarded Governor’s medal on the occasion of Republic Day.