Mahavir Chakra for martyred Colonel Santosh Babu

Hyderabad: The martyred Colonel B Santosh Babu, commanding officer of 16 Bihar battalion, who laid his life for the nation while fighting the Chinese incursion at Galwan Valley in Ladakh in June 2020, has been posthumously named for Mahavir Chakra, the second highest wartime gallantry award on the occasion of Republic Day.

The Government of India also named four other soldiers who were martyred in the Galwan operation, for the gallantry awards.

The four Vir Chakra awardees, also posthumous, are Naib Subedar Nuduram Soren (16 Bihar), Havildar K Palani (81 Field), Havildar Tejinder Singh (3 Medium), Naik Deepak Singh (16 Bihar) and Sepoy Gurtej Singh (3 Punjab).

Around 20 soldiers were martyred in the violent standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies at Galwan Valley in June 2020 and Colonel Santosh Babu hailed from Telangana.