IAF :: DATABASE :: AWARDS

Awardee List for the year 1952


A total of 3 Awards are listed.
Kirti Chakra : 3 |
Kirti Chakra
Flt Lt Ulrich Anthony D'Cruz 3296 GD(P)Unit : No.7 Squadron  Award Date 01 Dec 47 Announced 26 Jan 52
Details :

Flt. Lt. U. A. D’Cruz while carrying out an offensive reconnaissance over the AKHNURBHIMBER area was shot down and captured by Pathan tribesmen on 1st December 1947. He remained a prisoner with the tribesmen and later with the Pakistan Army, until December, 1948 when he was returned to India under a scheme for the exchange of prisoners of war.

While a prisoner, Flt. Lt. D’Cruz was often beaten and threatened with death by his captors but neither ill-treatment nor the offer of monetary rewards could undermining his loyalty to his country or his service.

The fortitude and devotion to duty displayed by Flt. Lt. D’Cruz while a prisoner of war is in accordance with the highest traditions of his service and an example to his fellow officers and men.

Reference: Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Notification No. 17-Pres/52 dated 26th January, 1952 
Kirti Chakra
Sgt Ram Chandra Dua 21075 ORUnit : -N.A.- Award Date 30 Jan 48 Announced 26 Jan 52
Details : Sgt. Dua was responsible for apprehending the culprit who threw a bomb at Mahatma Gandhi on 20 Jan 48. The Bomb thrower Madan Lal was in possession of a Grenade and Sgt. Dua held onto him at the risk of his own life.
Reference: Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Notification No. 17-Pres/52 dated 26th January, 1952 
Kirti Chakra
Sgt Dev Raj Singh 10052 ORUnit : -N.A.- Award Date 30 Jan 48 Announced 26 Jan 52
Details : Sgt. Dev Raj Singh caught Nathuram Godse who had fired on Mahatma Gandhi on 30 Jan 48 and snatched away the Pistol from the Assassin by force. Godse was carrying the Loaded pistol and Sgt. Singh exposed himself to great Personal Risk in grappling with him
Reference: Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Notification No. 17-Pres/52 dated 26th January, 1952 
The Awards Database presented here was made possible by the kind generosity of Air Marshal Bharat Kumar, author of Courage & Devotion to Duty : A Chronicle of IAF's Honours and Awards (1932-2008). Air Marshal Bharat Kumar had very graciously given permission to reproduce the citations from the book on this website.
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Note: All the data available here is publicly available in the Gazette of India, published by the Indian Government, or from public domain sources, press releases about Awards and Right-To-Information (RTI) Requests. Additionally data shared by veterans is added to the page with permission. No data with respect to serving officers below the rank of AVM is displayed. Information in Gazette of India and Award citations and photographs as released by the Indian Air Force are the only details displayed.