New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, presented Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards to Naval Personnel at the Naval Investiture Ceremony held for the first time at the newly constructed Nausena Bhawan in Delhi on Friday.

The awards were conferred to honour and recognise bravery, leadership, professional achievement and distinguished service of Naval Personnel.

A total of 51 personnel were conferred with awards during the ceremony,y which included one Yudh Seva Medal, thirteen Nausena Medals (Gallantry), eight Nausena Medals (Devotion to Duty) and seventeen Vishisht Seva Medals.

During the ceremony, CNS also presented the Jeevan Raksha Padak to Dharambir Singh Negi, Ex-PO EL(P) for saving a person from drowning in Hindon Canal on 15 July 2024; Capt Ravi Dhir Memorial Medal for promoting Flight Safety; and Lt VK Jain Memorial Medal for outstanding research in the field of electronics, computers and applied sources.

The CNS Trophy for Best Green Practice was awarded to Material Organisation (Vizag) in the industrial category and to INS Shivaji in the non-industrial category, respectively.

The CNS also presented Unit Citations to various units for their outstanding service over the past year.

The recipients in the Operational Units category were INS Shivalik, Trishul, Karna, and Flight Squadron INAS 316. The recipients in the category of shore establishments were INS Satavahana, Rajali, and Tunir.

Indian Navy Captain Rajababu Sharma spoke to ANI and said, '... I received the Navy Gallantry award for my service on INS Sumitra when we were deployed in the Gulf of Aden as a part of Operation Sankalp and the anti-piracy operation. It was a memorable and nerve-wrecking experience... 11 Somali pirates took 36 hostages for 22 days... We rescued them through our operational manoeuvres... They were forced to surrender without harming any hostages...'

After being conferred with the Nausena Gallantry Award, Lieutenant Commander Vaibhav Tyagi said, 'This award has been given to me for the mission rescue which we conducted in the Red Sea. This was on March 6, 2024. During the Houthis' attack, the crew of the merchant vessel True Confidence sustained injuries after being hit by a missile... As the Indian Navy, we were the first responders to this situation... The entire merchant vessel was on fire... The 21 crew of the vessel were in a small boat and were injured and adrift in the open sea... The location was not known, but they needed immediate assistance... We located the boat and evacuated them...'

Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi congratulated the awardees and remarked that this occasion is of special significance, as it represents a formal acknowledgement by the Indian Navy of the conspicuous acts of gallantry and devotion to duty of its personnel.

The ceremony was also attended by the families of the awardees and senior dignitaries from the Indian Navy.

The ceremony concluded with a Dinner hosted by the Chief of the Naval Staff for the awardees and their families, and a reaffirmation of the Navy's motto of 'Safeguarding National Maritime Interests - Anytime-Anywhere'. (ANI)