Droupadi Murmu conferred gallantry awards during the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, recognising exceptional courage, distinguished service and devotion to duty by armed forces personnel.

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• President Droupadi Murmu presented gallantry awards during Phase-I of Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026.
• Ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 8 June 2026.
• A total of seven Kirti Chakras were conferred during the ceremony.
• Fifteen Vir Chakras and twenty-nine Shaurya Chakras were also awarded.
• Kirti Chakra is India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award.
• The award recognises exceptional courage, devotion to duty and distinguished service.
• Kirti Chakra ranks below the Ashoka Chakra in peacetime gallantry honours.
• Two Kirti Chakras were awarded posthumously to military personnel.
• Recipients included Sepoy Janjal Pravin Prabhakar and Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari.
• Other awardees included Major Arshdeep Singh, Captain Lalrinawma Sailo and other armed forces personnel.
• Indian Air Force officer Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair was among the Kirti Chakra recipients.
• He is one of the astronaut-designates selected for India’s Gaganyaan mission.
• Nair also served as a backup astronaut for the Axiom-4 mission.
• Vir Chakra is awarded for gallantry during wartime military operations.
• Shaurya Chakra is awarded for acts of bravery during peacetime.
• Gallantry awards are conferred on Armed Forces, CAPF and police personnel.
• The awards for 2026 were announced before the 77th Republic Day celebrations.
• Defence Investiture Ceremony is the official event for presenting military honours in India.
• The Gaganyaan programme is India’s first human spaceflight mission.