Bhubaneswar: Santosh Bala, special secretary to Home Department (Odisha), and constable Sanjukta Pattnaik have been chosen for the prestigious President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) to be awarded on the occasion of 74th Republic Day.
Bala is a 1995-batch IPS officer of Odisha cadre.
Jyoti Ranjan Mahapatra, a civil defence volunteer from Odisha, has also been selected for this award given for a special distinguished record in service.
Similarly, Inspector General of Police, Satyabrata Bhoi, 2004-batch IPS officer, has been picked for Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM). He is among 15 personnel from Odisha to have been awarded the Gallantry medal for valuable service characterised by resource and devotion to duty.
OTHER MSM AWARDEES
Police Service
- Sarada Prasanna Pradhan, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Odisha.
- Pradip Kumar Samal, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Deployed), Odisha.
- Prasanta Kumar Sahoo, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Odisha.
- Rasmi Ranjan Mohapatra, Inspector, Odisha.
- Rajat Kerketta, Deputy Commandant, Odisha.
- Dillip Kumar Naik, Driver Havildar, Odisha.
- Bijay Kumar Pradhan, Assistant Sub Inspector of Police, Odisha.
- Banamali Ray, Sepoy, Odisha.
- Nam Bahadur Chhetry, Sepoy, Odisha.
- Arati Sahu, Constable, Odisha.
Fire Service
- Rajendra Kumar Swain, Leading Fireman, Odisha.
- Tarakanta Mahapatra, Leading Fireman, Odisha.
Home Guard & Civil Defence
- Rajendra Kumar Jena, Home Guard Volunteer, Odisha.
Correctional Service
- Ghanashyam Paik, Chief Warder, Odisha.
MEDAL FOR GALLANTRY
- Arun Kumar Bhue, Sub-Inspector
- Motiram Sahoo, Havildar
- Prakash Majhi , Commando
- Niranjan Sahu – Commando
- Jadumani Bhue, Commando
- Umesh Seth, Commando
- Bubun Kumbhar, Commando
- Sanjaya Kumar Guru, Commando
- Biswajit Das, Commando
- Laxman Nayak, Commando
- Satya Odi, Commando
- Kana Beti, Constable
- Ramakanta Sahu, Sub Inspector
- Satyabadi Bhui, CT
- Suraj Kumar Sahu, CT
Following a recent restructuring, a total 1132 personnel from Police, Fire Service, Home Guard & Civil Defence, and Correctional Service have been awarded Gallantry/Service medals, an official release said.