Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has congratulated Major Sanjeev Kumar and Wing Commander Gaurav Singh Chauhan, for having being awarded with prestigious awards by the President of India on the occasion of Independence Day.

Virbhadra Singh congratulated Major Sanjeev Kumar of Eastern Command for getting Shaurya Chakra Award. He was conferred with this award by the President of India, for his outstanding services on Barma border. Major Sanjeev Kumar, belongs to Bharog-Baneri village of Paonta Sahib Developmental Block of Sirmaur district.

The Chief Minister also extended his greetings to Wing Commander Gaurav Singh Chauhan, for being awarded with prestigious Vayu Sena Medal on Independence Day. He said that Wing Commander Gaurav Singh Chauhan showed great courage and professionalism in handling a major Air Force exercise near Jodhpur in Rajsthan, early this year. He hails from Shimla district and is son of B.S Chuahan, a retired IAS officer.

The Chief Minister said that both were the brave sons of the soil, who had brought laurels to the State with exceptional achievements. He said that the people of Himachal Pradesh had played significant role in freedom movement and by one way or other and marched shoulder to shoulder with other countrymen for the freedom of the country. He said that after getting freedom brave sons had been making supreme sacrifices by serving in the Indian Armed Forces, whether it was Indo-China war, Indo-Pak war or Kargil Aggression. Hundreds of brave sons from the State had lost their lives while defending the country.