TNI Bureau: President Droupadi Murmu conferred national Gallantry Award Shaurya Chakra on Odisha officer Lieutenant Bimal Ranjan Behera at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi on Friday.
Diving to depths of even a few feet was gravely risky. Divers were unable to merely stabilise. However, Behera stepped up fearlessly as a lead diver when ONGC reported an operational emergency in the Fuel Production Storage and Offloading vessel. He dived in a perilous and hostile diving operation showing gallantry while not caring for personal safety in the line of his duty on 12 March 2023.
Lt Bimal Behera belongs to Hadua village in Kendrapada district of Odisha. His father served in the Ordinance Core of the Indian Army as an Ammnition Technician.
Lt Behera pursued BTech in Marine Engineering from Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune. Later, he joined Indian Navy. He is presently posted as Salvage Officer onboard Diving Support Vessel DSV Nistar in Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
A gallantry award is an honour given to individuals for their extraordinary bravery and courage in the face of danger.