49 Police Officers Honoured with Gallantry and Service Medals on 79th Independence Day

On the occasion of the 79th Independence Day, honours were conferred upon 1,090 uniformed personnel across the nation, as announced by the Union Home Ministry. The recipients were drawn from state and central police forces, fire brigades, home guards, and correctional services, reflecting the breadth of service sectors recognised for dedication and bravery.

Among those honoured, 49 officers from the Maharashtra Police Force were included. It was recorded that three of them were awarded the prestigious President’s Medal for Distinguished Service. Seven others were chosen for Gallantry Medals, while 39 were recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service. The President’s Medal for Distinguished Service from Maharashtra was awarded to Inspector General of Police Anil Dashrathrao Kumbhare, Commissioner of Police Navinchnaadra Datta Reddy, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajendrasingh Prabhisinh Gaor.

The Gallantry Medal list from Maharashtra featured Assistant Police Inspector Netaji Sukhdev Bandgar, Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Manohar Kotla Mahaka, Head Constable Manohar Lachma Pendam, Constables Prakash Ishwar Kannake, Atul Satyanarayan Yegolpawar, and Hidayat Saddulla Khan. A posthumous honour was also accorded to the late Suresh Lingaji Telami.

Nationwide, the distribution of awards was carried out across three major categories. Gallantry Medals were conferred upon 233 personnel for acts of exceptional courage. The President’s Medal for Distinguished Service was awarded to 99 individuals, while 758 recipients were recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service for their consistent and noteworthy contributions.

Within the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service category, 89 awards were allocated to members of the police force. The fire brigade was represented by five recipients, the civil defence and home guard services by three, and the correctional service by two. In the Medal for Meritorious Service category, 635 honours were given to police personnel, 51 to members of fire services, 41 to civil defence and home guard members, and 31 to correctional service officers.

The announcement highlighted the diverse roles and responsibilities undertaken by these personnel, many of whom serve in challenging and high-risk environments. Recognition on such a significant national day was viewed as both an acknowledgment of their commitment and a symbol of the nation’s gratitude. Across the country, the awards served to underline the importance of bravery, discipline, and dedicated service in maintaining public safety and order.