Valor in Service: Agniveers Make History with First Gallantry Honors

In an unprecedented move, two Agniveers from the Indian Army have been honored with a prestigious military award for their courage, a day before India's 79th Independence Day. Agniveer Kulveer Singh of the 7 Sikh Light Infantry and Agniveer Mood Muralinaik of the 851 Light Regiment received the Sena Medal (Gallantry).

The announcement comes as President Droupadi Murmu approved 127 Gallantry awards and 40 Distinguished Service awards for armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel. Notably, this is the first instance where any Agniveer has received a Gallantry award since the inception of the Agnipath scheme on June 14, 2022.

The scheme facilitates the recruitment of young individuals between 17.5 and 21 years old for a four-year term, with a chance to retain 25% for an additional 15 years. The recognition of Agniveers exemplifies their valor and signifies the impact of the Agnipath initiative on India's military landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)