Thirty-nine policemen from Chhattisgarh are among over 1,100 personnel selected for gallantry and service medals by the Central government. They will be feted in New Delhi on January 26.

A total of 1,132 personnel from the police, fire service, Home Guards and Civil Defence and Correctional Service have been awarded gallantry and service medals, an official statement said.

The Chhattisgarh policemen include Hemant Kumar Patel, Malik Ram, Sukku Ram, Santosh Chandan, Saket Kumar Banjare, Bhuwan Singh Bora, Sanjay Pal, Dharam Singh Tulavi, Virendra Kanwar, Patiram Podiyami, Dilip Kumar Wasnik, Ramesh Jurri (posthumous), Ramesh Korsa  (posthumous), Subhash Nayak  (posthumous), Ramdas Kurram   (posthumous), Jagatram Kanwar  (posthumous), Sukh Singh  (posthumous), Ramashankar Singh  (posthumous), Shankar Nag  (posthumous), Kishor Andrik (posthumous), Sankuram Sodhi  (posthumous), Bosaran Kartami  (posthumous), Shiv Kumar Ramteke, Chhannuram Poyam and Gautam Korsa.

Similarly, President’s Police Medals will be awarded to Additional Director General of Police Amit Kumar and Deputy Director General of Police Kanhaiyalal Dhruv. 

According to an official statement, the government has taken many steps in recent years to rationalize and transform the entire award eco system of various awards.

In this regard, 16 gallantry, service medals (for police, fire service, Home Guards and Civil Defence and Correctional Service) have been rationalized and merged into following four medals: President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG), Medal for Gallantry (GM), President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM).

After the recent restructuring of medals, a total of 1,132 personnel of police, fire service, Home Guards and Civil Defence and Correctional Service have been awarded gallantry/service medals on the occasion of Republic Day 2024.

Among the majority of 277 gallantry awards, 119 personnel went to Naxalite affected areas, 133 from Jammu and Kashmir and 25 personnel from other regions.

Out of the 277 medals, 275 have been awarded to 72 personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, 18 from Maharashtra, 26 from Chhattisgarh, 23 from Jharkhand, 15 from Odisha, eight from Delhi, 65 from the CRPF, 21 from SSB and the remaining personnel from the other states/UTs and CAPFs.