11 security personnel to get Ashok Chakra

New Delhi: A record 11 security personnel will receive country highest peacetime gallantry award - the Ashok Chakra - this year.

The highlight of the 'list of 11' is that it comprises six people from among those who participated in the Mumbai anti-terror operations in November 2008.

All the 11 security personnel will receive the award on the Republic Day.

The awardees this year include National Security Guard commandos Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havaldar Gajendra Singh along with Mumbai Police officials Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar and Tukaram Omble.

All the six were martyred fighting the terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November 2008.

Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, Havaldar Bahadur Dohra, Colonel Jojan Thomas, Orissa Special Operations Group Commandant Pramod Satpathy and Meghalaya DSP Raymond P Diengdoh, too, will receive Ashok Chakra.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil gave her stamp of approval of granting the country's highest peacetime gallantry award to 11 people on Friday.

The decision is unprecedented as even during war, India has not awarded its highest gallantry award - Param Vir Chakra - to so many people in a single operation.

Till date only 40 people have been awarded the Ashok Chakra - wartime equivalent of Param Vir Chakra - given for exemplary courage displayed or act of bravery during peacetime.

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