MAJOR MANISH PITAMBARE,KIRTI CHAKRA

WIDOW AFTER WIDOW COLLECTS GALLANTRY AWARDS
SANGEETA STOOD ERECT AS THE CITATION FOR THE KIRTI CHAKRA AWARDED TO HER HUSBAND, MAJOR MANISH PITAMBARE,WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE WHILE BATTLING TERRORISTS IN JAMMU & KASHMIR LAST YEAR,WAS READ OUT IN THE IMPOSING RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN.
AS PRESIDENT A P J KALAM STRODE FORWARD TO HAND HER THE KIRTI CHAKRA,THE NATION’S 2nd HIGHEST PEACETIME
GALLANTRY AWARD, 31 YEAR OLD SANGEETA BENT DOWN AND TOUCHED HIS FEET.
THAT SET THE TONE FOR THE POIGNANT DEFENCE INVESTITURE CEREMONY WHERE WIDOW AFTER WIDOW RECEIVED GALLANTRY AWARDS ON BEHALF OF THEIR BRAVE HUSBANDS WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE FOR THE NATION.FOR SOME AWARDEES,A STOIC FATHER OR MOTHER WERE PRESENT AS THE ‘NEXT OF KIN’ TO RECEIVE THE MEDALS.DALIP CHAND BHANDRAL AND MAJOR V NATRAJAN(RETIRED),FOR INSTANCE RECEIVED THE OTHER TWO KIRTI CHAKRAS AWARDED TO THEIR SONS-CAPTAIN VISHAL BHANDRAL AND LIEUTENANT NATARJAN PARTHIBAN,POSTHIMOUSLY.
“IT’S SAD…WE ARE FULL OF GRATITUDE THAT SUCH SACRIFICES HAVE BEEN MADE,” SAID PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH OF THE 3 KIRTI CHAKRAS AND 24 SHAURYA CHAKRAS AWARDED AS MANY AS 16 POSTHUMOUSLY GIVEN.
MAJOR MANISH PITAMBARE,A SPECIALIST IN HOSTAGE RESCUE OPERATIONS FROM 3 PARA(SPECIAL FORCES),DIED WHILE SAVING THE LIFE OF HIS PARTNER WHO WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED DURING AN ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATION IN ANANTNAG DISTRICT ON NOVEMBER 27,2006.