R-Day March Past Begins With Param Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra Gallantry Award Winners

The march past on Republic Day on Wednesday began with Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra gallantry award winners following the parade commander in their jeeps.

Retired Subedar Major Yogender Singh Yadav, who won India's highest wartime gallantry award Param Vir Chakra for showing exemplary bravery during the 1999 Kargil war, was in the first of the three jeeps.

Yadav was conferred the rank of Honorary Captain on Independence Day last year.

Subedar Sanjay Kumar, who also won the Param Vir Chakra for showing exceptional bravery during the 1999 Kargil war, was in the second jeep.

Colonel D Sreeram Kumar -- who won India's highest peacetime gallantry award Ashok Chakra for showing exceptional bravery during an anti-terrorist operation in Imphal on October 23, 2008 -- was in the third jeep.

All three jeeps -- each with an award winner -- drove parallel during the parade.