Neeraj Kumar Singh

Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh (Posthumous), Ashok Chakra: Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh was an Indian Army brave heart who served in the 57 Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles and was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, the country’s highest peacetime military decoration on 26 January 2015.

The Army man, while leading a search operation at Kupwara in Jammu & Kashmir on August 24, 2014, came under heavy fire from terrorists. He rescued an injured Army person and shot dead one of the terrorists.

President Pranab Mukherjee also posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra to Major Mukund Varadarajan of the 44th Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles, which was announced on Independence Day last year for his show of exceptional courage while leading an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir.

He was awarded India's Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award- Ashoka Chakra, shared with Major Mukund Varadrajan on 26 January 2015, Republic Day. His award citation reads: "Based on specific intelligence, Brigade Ghataks launched a Search and Destroy Operation at General area Gurdaji of Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on 24 August 2014. At 1025 hours, party noticed movement of few terrorists close to a Dhok, who opened indiscriminate fire on own troops. In the ensuring fire fight, buddy of Naik Neeraj was hit on bullet proof jacket. With utter disregard for his personal safety, Naik Neeraj crawled and extricated his buddy. A terrorist threw grenades and brought heavy fire on Naik Neeraj. In a daring act, he inched closer to the terrorist and shot him dead. Simultaneously, the NCO was attacked by another terrorist resulting in dropping of his Rifle and the terrorist shot him in the chest. Despite grievous injuries, displaying unparalleled courage, he pounced on the terrorist, snatched his weapon and killed him in hand-to-hand combat. He refused to be evacuated till he became unconscious and was evacuated by helicopter to 92 Base Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries."