Ashoka Chakra for Maj Jyotin Singh

NEW DELHI - Major Laishram Jyotin Singh of the Army Medical Corps has been posthumously honoured with the Ashok Chakra, the highest peace-time gallantry award.

Major Singh, an official on deputation to the Indian embassy in Kabul, was killed while fighting terrorists who had attacked the misssion building on Feb 26 this year.

He is among the 114 personnel from the armed forces, central paramilitary forces and state police services who have been honoured with the President’s Independence Day gallantry awards, a government statement said Saturday.

Captain Davinder Singh Jass of the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), who died fighting Lashkar-e-Taiba extremists in Sopore on Feb 23 this year, and Vinod Kumar Choubey, superintendent of police in Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh who died in a gunbattle with Maoists on July 12, 2009, have been awarded Kirti Chakra, the second highest awards for peace time gallantry.

Major Thongam Joten Singh of 21st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and Major Ajay Singh of the 11th Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry have been selected for the Bar to Shaurya Chakra awards.

The awardees include one Ashok Chakra, two Kirti Chakras, two Bar to Shaurya Chakras, 19 Shaurya Chakras, two Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 80 Sena Medals (Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).