PRESS RELEASE
Dated: 14th Aug 2025 Time: 1700 hrs.
NDRF OFFICERS AND RESCUERS AWARDED WITH PRESIDENT’S POLICE MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND THE POLICE MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE
On the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day 2025, the President is pleased to award the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service to the following Officers/personnel of the National Disaster Response Force.
Shri Kuleesh Anand, Deputy Commandant, joined ITBP in 1993. During over 30 years of service with ITBP and NDRF, the officer has led more than numerous operations, including the Kedarnath Rescue (2013) and Nepal earthquake (2015) and contributed to major missions such as Karnataka floods, COVID-19 response, G-20 security and Mahakumbh deployment etc. His exemplary service has earned the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.
Sh. Pankaj Kumar, Commandant joined ITBP on 01 November 2002. He has served in militancy-affected areas of J&K, in border guarding duties and has been associated with Disaster Management since 2007. He led the first NDRF team to the Mayapuri Radiation Leakage incident and was recognised for his leadership in disaster response during the Tsunami in Japan in 2011. He has been awarded with Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
Sh. Vishwanath Parashar, Second-in-Command joined BSF in 1999. He has demonstrated exceptional leadership in counter-insurgency operations in Tripura, counter-intelligence roles and international coordination. In NDRF, he has led numerous life-saving operations, including response in Turkey earthquake (Op-Dost). He has been awarded with Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
SI/JE (Elect) Arvind Kumar Sharma joined BSF on 04 October 2000. He has contributed significantly to the maintenance and operational readiness of NDRF’s electrical infrastructure, and his organisational skills were evident during the successful conduct of the All India Police Golf Tournament 2018. He has been awarded with Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
The President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service are awarded to personnel of police and security organisations with a minimum of 25 and 18 years of service respectively, recognizing commendable work in operational and administrative roles. So far, 16 and 103 nos. of NDRF Officers/personnel have been awarded with PPM and PM respectively.