New Delhi: Lt Triveni Singh, the young officer who averted a terrorist bloodbath at Jammu railway station last month, Vice-Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen Shantonu Choudhary and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Hari Prasad are among 494 armed forces personnel decorated by President A P J Abdul Kalam on Republic Day.

While Triveni Singh has been posthumously decorated with Ashok Chakra, the nation's highest peacetime award, two other personnel Major Ashok Kothiyal of the Garwhal Rifles and constable C Stanly of the Border Security force have been awarded Kirti Chakra, the second highest gallantry award for daring acts against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Stanly also made the supreme sacrifice of his life.

The father of Triveni Singh of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, Capt Jamrej Singh, would receive the medal from the President at the Republic Day parade today (Jan 26, 2004).

The sister of Commando Sanjog Chhetri of the nine Para Commandoes, who were awarded the Ashok Chakra last year, will also receive the medal from the President, the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.

The roll of honour this year includes one Ashok Chakra, two Kirti Chakras, 29 Param Vishist Seva medals, five Uttam Yudh Seva medals, three bars to Ati Vishist seva medals, one bar to Shaurya Chakra, 30 Shaurya Chakras, 48 Ati Vishist Seva medals, 13 Yudh Seva medals, four bars to Sena medals, 163 Sena medals, 17 Nao Sena medals, 16 Vayu Sena medals, three bars to Vishist Seva medals and 119 Vishist Seva medals.

Though the Government said there had been little action during the year-long Operation Parakaram, the mobilisation of troops on the Pakistan border, the awards bely the claims.

Among the decorations are five Uttam Yudh Seva medals, 13 Yudh Seva medals and citations for a number of Sena medals, Shaurya Chakra as well as Nao Sena medals where it is stated the medals have been awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy.

The recipients of the Uttam Yudh Seva medals include Major Gen Hardev Singh Lidder, who led Operation Sarp Vinash against terrorist hideouts in Surankote in Rajouri District, and the Army's new public face Maj Gen Deepak Summenwar who has been awarded for leading a mountain division in Dras during Operation Parakaram.

Also honoured are Maj Gen JK Mohanty who led the Siachen Division in Operation Parakaram and Maj Gen S Yadav for leading the counter-insurgency Kilo force in frontier district of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides the Vice-Chief of the Army Staff, 28 other senior officers have been decorated with Param Vishist Seva Medal for distinguished service of the highest order. The recipients include Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral S V Gopalachari, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen J B S Yadava and Air Marshal Raghu Rajan and former Assistant Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Narayan Menon.

Other recipients of the PVSM include Lt Gen Richard Khare, Director General Military Intelligence, Lt Gen BK Bopanna, DG NCC, Lt Gen Nirbhay Sharma, GOC commanding the key Srinagar-based 15 Corps.