logo
Op Sindoor: 9 IAF fighter pilots awarded Vir Chakra; see list

Op Sindoor: 9 IAF fighter pilots awarded Vir Chakra; see list

Time of India2 days ago
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday awarded the Vir Chakra to nine
Indian Air Force
fighter pilots who played a key role in
Operation Sindoor
, targeting terrorist headquarters and Pakistan's military assets.
Vir Chakra is India's third-highest wartime gallantry award.
The awa
rdees include:
Group Captain Ranjeet Singh Sidhu
Group Captain Manish Arora
Group Captain Animesh Patnim
Group Captain Kunal Kalra
Wing Commander Joy Chandra
Squadron Leader Sarthak Kumar
Squadron Leader Siddhant Singh
Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik
Flight Lieutenant Arshweer Singh Thakur
During the operation, the Indian Air Force also brought down at least six Pakistani aircraft.
In coordinated action, the Indian Army carried out targeted strikes, eliminating nine terrorist bases belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The Air Force executed precision strikes on four sites inside Pakistan, while five other locations were hit in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Operation Sindoor was a tri-services mission jointly conducted by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, entirely from Indian soil.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Indian Army trains LoC Snipers after stellar role in Op-Sindoor, watch!
Indian Army trains LoC Snipers after stellar role in Op-Sindoor, watch!

Time of India

timea minute ago

  • Time of India

Indian Army trains LoC Snipers after stellar role in Op-Sindoor, watch!

Indian Army trains LoC Snipers after stellar role in Op-Sindoor, watch! J&K: Indian Army personnel carry out patrolling on heavy snow in Doda Watch: Indian Army's Black Charger Brigade carry out Tactical Floatation Exercises Indian Army reveals how Pak posts were decimated: 'Unhone Goliya Chalayi, Dhamaka Humne Kiya…' J&K: Indian Army on high alert, after terrorists open fire at Army Vehicle in Rajouri J&K: Indian Army troops patrol at 10,000 feet in Doda sector near LoC Operation Sindoor: All weapons of the Indian Army sang in harmony, ground report from Army officer Op Sindoor: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan breaks silence on damage to Indian military by Pakistan

World Elephant Day 2025: Looking out for the gentle giants
World Elephant Day 2025: Looking out for the gentle giants

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

World Elephant Day 2025: Looking out for the gentle giants

Every year, August 12 is observed as World Elephant Day to bring the spotlight on protecting one of the most magnificent animals to walk the earth. This year, Coimbatore played host to the celebrations organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. With mitigating human-elephant conflict at the centre of the celebrations, the event brought together top officials from the MoEF&CC, the Forest Department, frontline staff who work tirelessly in the field, and mahouts who care for elephants. Here are some highlights from the event. Honouring unsung heroes Gaj Gaurav Awards were instituted to seven field staff and mahouts from across India in recognition of their work in elephant conservation. S Karthikeyan, Forest Guard and M Murali Anti-Poaching Watcher, both from Dharmapuri Circle, were the awardees from Tamil Nadu. Thirty-four-year-old Murali has been actively involved in risky elephant rescue operations across Forest Circles, while Karthikeyan was honoured for patrols along areas of man-elephant conflict to monitor animal movement. In April this year, he rescued injured elephants at the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary. 'Elephants entering human habitation tend to fall into open wells when agitated, especially at night when they try to raid crops,' says 32-year-old Karthikeyan. He has observed this up close in villages on the fringes of forests in Hosur. 'Some people light firecrackers to chase elephants that venture into their fields,' he says, adding: 'There are several open, abandoned wells in the region, and the animals get hurt when they slip and fall.' He recalls the recent rescue of one such elephant by his team of ten. 'I urge people living near forests to enclose wells with walls for the sake of elephants,' he says. With love, from Gudalur Gudalur-based socio-environmental enterprise The Real Elephant Collective, known for crafting life-size elephants made of lantana, had displayed a handful of elephants constructed by tribal people from villages in and around Gudalur in the Nilgiri hills. But what stood apart was a small collection of animal and bird miniatures, done with impeccable attention to detail. 'We have 16 pieces as part of the collection, including five birds, eight animals, and trees and bushes,' says Tariq Thekaekara from the Collective. They have been sculpted by hand with wood from Senna Spectabilis, an invasive plant that poses a major threat to the Nilgiri biosphere, removed with support from the Forest Department. While the team's lantana elephants have travelled the world — they have been displayed in the UK, US, apart from several cities in India — they now want to carve birds and animals that are not as popular. These include the Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri marten, spotted deer, jungle fowl, Indian giant squirrel, hornbill, among others. Hand-carved by tribal women using simple tools, these are animals and birds the people grew up seeing. The miniatures will initially be available for sale in all the Forest Department eco shops in the Nilgiris, Mudumalai, Bandipur and Wayanad, and can also be purchased online soon. While the women are now working from the Collective's office in Gudalur, they will eventually have the freedom to make the figurines from home. For enquiries, email info@ Elephant tales Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, released An Ancient Bond: The Elephant Whisperers of Mudumalai, a coffee table book by Tarsh Thekaekara featuring photos of elephants and their mahouts, and the children's book The Lost Elephant and the Soul Tree published by Westland's Red Panda. Suitable for children aged eight to 12, The Lost Elephant and the Soul Tree was inspired by the author's reportage across elephant camps in the Western Ghats. Little Girl, LG for short, a mischievous elephant calf gets separated from her herd when they cross a tea plantation. She ends up in an elephant camp in the forest for abandoned and problematic elephants, and must summon every ounce of courage to find her way back home. Her only hope is the Soul Tree, a living, breathing portal into faraway landscapes. With the help of two feisty old elephants and a fierce tusker with a tender heart, she sets out to find it on a full-moon night, braving dark jungles and predators on the lurk. The story will take readers into the workings of an elephant herd, introducing issues such as disappearing forests, man-animal conflict, and elephant behaviour. Set in the dense sholas of Tamil Nadu, it has magic and adventure, and is an ode to the many steely elephant matriarchs who would die to protect their herd. Available at book stores and online.

Saree Draping Fashion Show Marks NIFT's ‘Unity in Diversity'
Saree Draping Fashion Show Marks NIFT's ‘Unity in Diversity'

Fashion Value Chain

timean hour ago

  • Fashion Value Chain

Saree Draping Fashion Show Marks NIFT's ‘Unity in Diversity'

In a tribute to India's rich cultural heritage, students of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Daman, showcased a spectacular Unity in Diversity fashion show as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga and Handloom Week celebrations. The event featured 24 students, each adorned in elegantly draped sarees representing the unique styles of various Indian states. From the Bengali Aatpoure to the Maharashtrian Nauvari, from the graceful Kerala Kasavu to the regal Gujarati Seedha Pallu, the showcase celebrated India's sartorial heritage and the artistry woven into its regional traditions. Students from both Textile Design and Fashion Management departments collaborated to curate the drapes and source traditional fabrics, reflecting their academic expertise and dedication to reviving and presenting traditional crafts in a contemporary setting. Speaking on the occasion, Director of NIFT Dr Brijesh Deore said that the saree is more than an attire – it is the thread that connects generations and regions of India. This showcase by our students beautifully mirrors our nation's unity through diversity, especially during such a patriotic celebration.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store