During this year's Republic Day parade, as many as 11 personnel will be posthumously conferred with the Ashoka Chakra, country's highest peacetime gallantry award. The award list contains the names of the six people who lost their lives in the Mumbai terror attacks. According to sources, the coveted gallantry award will be conferred upon four Mumbai police personnel including ATS chief Hemant Karkare; Additional Commissioner of Police, Ashok Kamte; Inspector Vijay Salaskar; and Assistant Sub Inspector Tukaram Umble.

 

The NSG commandos who lost their lives during the Mumbai operation, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Gajender Singh will also be honoured with Ashoka Chakra. Other awardees include Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma of Delhi Police, Col. Jojo Thomas, Havildar B.S. Bohra and others. Mohan Chand Sharma was killed in the Jamia encounter with terrorists in Delhi last year.

 

The President of India Pratibha Patil will honour the 11 personal during the Republic Day parade. Earlier the Maharashtra government had recommended the names 15 of its personnel for Ashoka Chakra. But the Union Home Ministry suggested that the ATS chief and three others who lost their lives on the first night of the Mumbai attack will be given the Ashoka Chakra while the rest will be considered for Kirti Chakra.

 

The peacetime gallantry award, Ashoka Chakra is given for the most conspicuous bravery or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of valor or self-sacrifice. This year's Republic Day will see so many Ashoka Chakras being conferred at one time.