Bhubaneswar: President of India Droupadi Murmu conferred the Shaurya Chakra upon Lieutenant Bimal Ranjan Behera from Odisha at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in an event attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
At the Defence Investiture Ceremony (Phase-1) in Rashtrapati Bhawan, President of India Droupadi Murmu awarded a total of 10 Kirti Chakras (three posthumously) and 26 Shaurya Chakras (three posthumously) to members of the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and State/Union Territory Police. These awards were given in recognition of their exceptional courage, gallantry, and unwavering commitment to their duty.
In March 2023, he stepped up fearlessly as a lead diver when ONGC reported an operational emergency in the Fuel Production Storage and Offloading vessel. He dived in a perilous and hostile diving operation showing gallantry and disregard for personal safety.
Lt. Bimal Ranjan Behera hails from Hadua village in Kendrapara District of Odisha. His father served in the Ordinance Core of the Indian Army as an Ammnition Technician. His mother Manorama Behera is a homemaker, while his sister Manoshini Behera is Hotel Management Graduate presently working in Victoria, Australia. Lt Bimal pursued B.Tech in Marine Engineering from Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune. Later, he joined Navy and completed his Clearance Diving course with M Sc. in Diving Technology from the Diving School of Indian Navy. He is presently posted as Salvage Officer (Desig) onboard upcoming DSV Nistar in Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
The gallantry awards were posthumously presented to several individuals, including Constable Safiullah Qadri of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Major Vikas Bhangbhu, Major Mustafa Bohra, Rifleman Kulbhushan Manta of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, Havildar Vivek Singh Tomar of the 5th Battalion The Rajputana Rifles, Rifleman Alok Rao of the 18 Assam Rifles, Captain MV Pranjal of the Corps of Signals, and others.
The Kirti Chakra was presented to Major Digvijay Singh Rawat 21st Battalion The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces). Shaurya Chakra was presented to Major Maneo Francis PF 21st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces).
Shaurya Chakra was awarded to Lieutenant Bimal Ranjan Behera, Havildar Sanjay Kumar 9 Assam Rifles, Flight Lieutenant Hrishikesh Jayan Karuyedaya Flying (Pilot), Captain Akshat Upadhyay 20th Battalion The Jat Regiment, Naib Subedar Baria Sanjay Kumar Bhamar Singh 21st Battalion The Mahar Regiment, Major Amandeep Jakhar 4th Battalion The Sikh Regiment.