Kota, Feb 20 (PTI) Fourteen Indian Army personnel were felicitated for bravery and exceptional devotion to duty at the South Western Command investiture ceremony held at the Kota Military Station on Thursday.
The ceremony was held with customary elan and military grandeur at the Gandiv auditoriuman in the Kota Military Station, officials said.
A total of seven Sena Medals (gallantry), five Vishisht Seva Medals, one Yudh Seva Medal, and one Sena Medal (distinguished) were presented on the occasion by Lieutenant General Nagendra Singh, Corps Commander, Chetak Corps, on behalf of Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh, Commander, South Western Command.
Also, unit citations were presented to 16 units for their excellent services, officials said.
The investiture ceremony is organised every year to confer various awards to army personnel, who distinguish themselves by acts of gallantry and exceptional devotion to duty.
This time, the awardees included 10 officers, one junior commissioned officer, and three soldiers.
Congratulating the awardees, Lieutenant General Nagendra Singh, who was the chief guest for the occasion, exhorted all ranks, army veterans and their families to reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the nation.
He later interacted with the award winners and their families and acknowledged their invaluable contributions in upholding the highest traditions of the Indian Army.
"The citation ceremony is meant to recognise and honour the passion, zeal and fervour of our soldiers for their dedication, efforts and selfless service to the nation," defence PRO Col Amitabh Sharma said.
Col Puja Dudeja, a doctor in the Army Medical Corps and recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal, said she would like to dedicate the award to her entire medical team which worked with her round-the-clock during hard times.
Major Sourabh Thapa, a recipient of Sena Medal (gallantry), recalled how his unit managed to rescue a large number of stranded civilians during the ethnic clashes in Manipur.
Lt Col Roshan Kumar Jain, who also received Sena Medal (gallantry), recounted how his battalion successfully executed an operation against terrorists along the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kahsmir's Poonch sector.