IAF Officers Honored for Role in Operation Sindoor
Seven armed forces officers receive the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, recognizing their exceptional service.
- Seven officers, four from the IAF, will receive the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal.
- This is the first time the IAF has received more medals than the Army and Navy.
- The awards are for contributions to Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike against terror bases in Pakistan.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th Aug: Seven officers from the Indian armed forces, including four from the Indian Air Force (IAF), will be awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, the country’s highest wartime distinguished service decoration. The awards recognize their exceptional contributions during Operation Sindoor, a four-day operation from May 7 to 10 that targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
This marks the first time that the number of IAF officers receiving the prestigious medal is more than those from the Army and Navy. The Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, last given to the IAF after the Kargil war, is the war-time equivalent of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
The recipients are:
- Lt Gen Pratik Sharma
- Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai
- Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh (Retd)
- Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari
- Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor
- Air Marshal Jeetandra Mishra
- Air Marshal AK Bharti
The government praised the Air Force for its crucial role in delivering precision strikes against terror infrastructure. During the operation, the IAF conducted high-impact air operations on targets such as the Nur Khan and Rahimyar Khan air bases. The Air Force’s robust air defense, utilizing indigenously developed Akash and legacy platforms like Pechora, was pivotal in neutralizing retaliatory drone and UAV attacks from across the border. India had struck nine terror targets and downed six Pakistani aircraft, including five fighter jets and one large aircraft.
Operation Sindoor is expected to be a key theme of this year’s Independence Day celebrations, with floral decorations and the operation’s logo adorning the dais at the Red Fort. The decorated officers will share the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also expected to mention the operation in his address. Additionally, 16 Border Security Force personnel have been awarded gallantry medals for their bravery during the operation.
