The Union government on the eve of Republic Day announced gallantry and service medals to 1,132 members of various agencies. This includes the paramilitary forces, police, fire department, home guard, civil defense, and correctional services.
There will be 277 gallantry awards given out this year. Personnel from Left Wing Extremist areas receive 119 of these. Employees from Jammu and Kashmir receive 133, while employees from other areas receive 25. A pair of individuals will receive the President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG) posthumously.
Two BSF Personnel Awarded PMG-
Sanwala Ram Vishnoi and Shishupal Singh, head constables of the Border Security Force (BSF), received the two PMGs for their work as part of the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monusco).
Vishnoi was part of the BSF’s 15th UN mission contingent in the Congo, according to the citation. He was shot on July 26, 2022, during a violent confrontation with a mob. Despite this, he continued to defend the camp from the crowd. Though he was badly injured he fought from the main defensive position of the camp. He discharged his duty with unwavering dedication and bravery. He fought valiantly and ultimately laid down his life trying to save others.
On the same day, they also assigned Shishupal Singh, the second officer, to the camp.
Despite getting shot at, he too prevented the mob from entering the camp. Singh passed away from wounds he sustained while performing his duties. Singh was resident of Sikar and Vishnoi was from Barmer.
Out of 275 GM, 72 will be given to J&K Police officers and 65 to CRPF officers. 26 to Chhattisgarh officers, 23 to Jharkhand officers, 15 to Odisha officers, 8 to Delhi officers. 18 to Maharashtra officers, 21 to SSB officers, and the remaining officers from the other states, Union Territories (UTs), and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
The MHA claims that in order to rationalise and revamp the whole ecosystem of different awards, the government has recently taken a number of steps. Accordingly, sixteen service and gallantry medals (for the police, fire department, home guard, and civil service) have been combined into four new medals: the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM), the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM), the President’s Medal for Gallantry (GM), and the President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG).