terrorists

Sena Medal

Having valiantly killed three, he ekes out a living as a guard because he is yet to get citationAn Army hero, who shot dead three terrorists, and was honoured for his gallantry with afor taking on terrorists without caring for his life and safety in Operation Strike in Jammu, has now been reduced to making a living as a security guard.The reason: Though he was honoured with the Sena Medal (Gallantry) in 1999, 16 years on, Ex-Hav Mechanda Chittiappa Ganapathy is still waiting for his citation, which could have changed his fortunes.Chittiappa, who should have been riding high on his fortune after a glorious career with over nine medals and a successful stint including in Operation Vijay in 1999, is now an armed security guard at State Bank of India, Pandavapura in Mandya district.VeKare the Ex-Servicemen’s Trust that has been working for the welfare of ex-servicemen led by Mandetira N Subramani for the last 25 years, has now moved the army and state government brass bringing Chittiappa’s sad tale to light. The trust has detailed his plight and has sought the department of State Sainik Welfare and Resettlement intervention in its letter dated March 31.Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Chettiappa said, “I was told that the citation would be sent to the unit. I was in 25 Rashtriya Rifles Jammu. It didn’t come there or to my unit in Madras. I completed my service of 18 years waiting for it. Recently, in a conference for ex-servicemen, I got to know about Subramani sir and I have approached him for help.”Chittiappa (No. 2898447A) had enrolled in the Indian Army’s 5 Madras Regiment on December 26, 1994 and was posted to 25 Rashtriya Rifles in April 1997. On April 17, 1998, he was the leading scout in ‘Operation Strike’ conducted at Guldandahar forest in Doda district at midnight. As Chittiappa explains, his team spotted a group of militants hiding in Lonegwari at a height of 11,500 ft and on spotting a column approaching, the militants resorted to indiscriminate firing.“A fierce fight took place. Undeterred and unmindful of heavy volume of fire, he crawled forward and killed the militants. Sepoy Chittiappa displayed exceptional bravery, courage and devotion to duty of the highest order,” a draft of the recommendation to Sena Medal states.He was awarded with the medal on January 26, 1999, but the citation was not handed over. Since then, he has been waiting for it and is denied of all facilities including agricultural land for gallantry award-winners or cash in lieu of land and other benefits that were possible only with the citation. With Chittiappa approaching the trust, Subramani has taken up his case.Citation to any gallantry award winner is an important document as it describes the patriotic and exemplary achievement of army personnel, and qualifies the ex-serviceman for post-retirement benefits he is entitled to, Subramani said.“A medal without a citation given by the President of India, or by an Army Officer of high military rank on behalf of the President of India, will not carry any meaning though the particulars of the gallant soldier are inscribed on the edge of the medal in the official language, Hindi,” Subramani said.