HT This Day: April 15, 1990 — Bharat Ratna conferred on Ambedkar | World News

The nation recalled the tremendous services to the country’s freedom struggle rendered by Dr Ambedkar who, after Independence, shaped the Indian Constitution so as to meet the democratic aspirations of the people.

At a special investiture ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan Dr Ambedkar’s 84-year-old widow. Dr Savita Ambedkar received the posthumous award from President R Venkataraman. She expressed her pleasure on receiving the honour bestowed by the nation on her husband “It is a great thing But I wonder why this was delayed”, she later said.

Prime Minister V. P Singh, his Cabinet colleagues, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and other dignitaries were among those present.

The President also gave away gallantry awards and medals to 58 defence personnel and civilians, including 15 of them posthumously, in recognition of their acts of exceptional courage and distinguished service to the nation.

The awards and medals were conferred at a defence investiture ceremony at an impressive function at Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Vice-President Dr S.D. Sharma, the three Service Chiefs were also present at the ceremony.

Service medals were given to 30 senior officers of the defence services. This included 12 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, three Uttam Yuddh Seva Medals and 15 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals.

The gallantry awards given away included four Kirti Chakras, 12 Vir Chakras and 12 Shaurya Chakras.

All but one of the Kirti Chakra winners were awarded posthumously for their devotion to duty during snow clearance and excavation operations by the Border Roads Organisation in the forward areas. Abhimanyu was the lucky recipient to receive the award in person.

The other three awards given posthumously to G. B. Pathak. Gopinath Pillai and Kansi Ram were received by their widows amidst touching applause.

All the 12 awardees of Vir Chakra including six of them posthumously were involved in the operations in Sri Lanka. There were touching moments during the presentation of these awards when the father of a young Second Lieutenant. A. S. Bedi, killed in the operations walked up proudly to the President to receive the award.

Six of the 12 Shaurya Chakras presented today were posthumous. The packed hall reverberated with applause when Buta Ram of Amritsar and Miss Monisha Verma of Delhi walked up to the platform to receive the medals from the President.

Buta Ram overpowered one of the two armed terrorists who were fleeing after killing a person in Amritsar on March 30. 1988. He chased them for a distance of 1.5 km at a risk to his life.

Miss Verma, a post-graduate student of Delhi, fought off five anti-social elements who were molesting her in a running DTC bus on Aug. 11, 1988 and jumped out of the bus taking one of the anti-socials in the process.

Anath and Bhushan Bhattacharjees are two brothers from Midnapore who rescued an Air Force pilot from the aircraft which had burst into flames following a crash.

The list of other awardees are: Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM): Lt Gen. Gurinder Singh, Lt. Gen Vijai Singh, Lt. Gen. K. S. Khajuria, Lt. Gen. Gorakh Nath, Lt. Gen. N. P. S. Bal, Lt. Gen. Suraj Prakash, Lt. Gen. R K Gaur, Lt. Gen. Harbans Lal, Vice-Admiral S. P. Govil, Air Marshal H K Oberai, Air Marshal R K Nehra and Maj. Gen. Vinod Badhwar.

The recipients of Uttam Yuddh Seva Medals were Maj. Gen. J. Mahmood, Brig. Samay Ram and Brig. K. D Sinha.

Ati Vishisht Seva Medal: Lt. Gen. A. S. Bhullar, Maj Gen. G. Bains, Maj. Gen. J. S. Herr (Rctd.), Rear Admiral S. Ramsagar, Rear Admiral K Pestonji, Air Vice Marshal S. R Karkare. Air Vice Marshal R S Bedi, Air Vice Marshal S. K. Sareen, Brig F. F. Bulsara, Brig. P K. Manajirao, Brig M L. Sapra, Commodore S. S. Bawa, Commodore Ravinder Sikka, Air Commodore A K. Brahmawar and Air Commodore S. C Madan.

Vir Chakra: Wg. Cdr. K K. Yadav, Havildar S. Sundaram, Havildar R K Chauhan, Wg. Cdr. D. N. Sahae, Capt. K. A. Mohan and Subedar M Russel. The posthumous awardees in this category were L/Nk. Mohinder Singh, Sepoy D. S. Chahar, Second Lt. A. S Bedi, Nk. Sukhdev Singh, Nk. Mahavir Singh and Maj Surinder Singh.

Shaurya Chakra: Buta Ram, driver, P.S. Verma, Miss Monisha Verma, L/Nk Bakshish Singh, Anath Bhattacharjee and Bhusan Bhattacharjee. The posthumous awardees in this category were D. N Roy, Muktiar Ahmed, driller Jas Ram, P. Uthaman, D. R. Gatiyala and Jaguram.