Mahavir Chakra for Galwan hero

Galwan clash martyr Colonel Santosh Babu, who sacrificed his life during the hand-tohand combat with Chinese troops in May last year, will be decorated with Mahavir Chakra - the secondhighest war-time award in India. Col Santosh Babu was the Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar infantry battalion of the Indian Army. He was tasked to ensure that the Chinese troops moved back beyond Point 14 in the Galwan Valley and personally verify these details. On the fateful night of June 15, when Indian and Chinese troops had a violent face-off, Colonel Santosh Babu was leading the Indian troops from the front. Despite suffering grievous injuries from stones that were pelted by Chinese troops, he refused to leave and instead thwarted the enemy in its designs.