More than 1,000 police personnel have received various gallantry and service medals, as announced by a government statement on Thursday. Among these, 277 medals were specifically awarded for acts of gallantry. Following a recent medal restructuring initiative, a total of 1,132 individuals from the Police, Fire Service, Home guard, Civil Defence, and Correctional service have been honored with Gallantry and service medals on the Auspicious occasion of Republic Day 2024.
The medals are presently classified as the President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG), Gallantry Medal (GM), President’s Medals for Distinguished Service (PSM), and Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM).
Two Border Security Force (BSF) heroes, Head Constables Sanwala Ram Vishnoi and Shishu Pal Singh, have been posthumously honored with the prestigious PMG for their exceptional dedication to peacekeeping during the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). Serving as integral members of the 15th Congo Contingent of BS at the Moroccan Rapid Deployment Battalion (MORRDB) camp in Butembo, they made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, losing their lives in action in Congo in July 2022.
The PMG (Police Medal for Gallantry) and GM (Gallantry Medal) are bestowed for “rare inconspicuous acts of gallantry” and “conspicuous acts of gallantry,” respectively. These acts involve the preservation of lives and property, prevention of crime, and the arrest of criminals, with the inherent risks taken into account in relation to the obligations and duties of the respective officers.
Jammu and Kashmir Police lead the way in gallantry recognition, securing the highest number of medals at 72, closely followed by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troops receiving 65. Additionally, Maharashtra contributed 18, Chhattisgarh with 26, Jharkhand with 23, Odisha with 15, Delhi Police with eight, and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) with 21 gallantry medals.
