Imphal, Aug 15: Manipur has etched its name in the annals of national valour once again, with Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik and Constable (Late) Deepak Chingakham being conferred the Vir Chakra, one of India’s highest wartime gallantry awards, for their courage and sacrifice in service to the nation.
Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik, a young fighter pilot from Keikhu in Imphal East, received the honour for his exemplary role in Operation Sindoor, a high-stakes Indian Air Force mission targeting terrorist strongholds and Pakistan military assets. His precise execution under hostile conditions earned him a place among nine IAF officers awarded the Vir Chakra this year.
Constable (Late) Deepak Chingakham was honoured posthumously for his supreme sacrifice during cross-border firing along the International Boundary in RS Pura, Jammu, on May 10, 2025. He succumbed to his injuries a day later, leaving behind a legacy of courage that has inspired many in his home state.
This marks the first time two recipients from Manipur have been honoured with the Vir Chakra in the same year, following in the footsteps of Sepoy K. Ashuli Mao, the state’s first awardee during the Kargil War of 1999.
Altogether, 36 IAF personnel involved in Operation Sindoor were decorated with gallantry awards, while President Droupadi Murmu approved a total of 127 gallantry honours for Armed Forces and CAPF personnel on the eve of Independence Day 2025.
