Twelve Assam Police officers, including Inspector General Devojyoti Mukherjee, have been awarded President's and Meritorious Service Medals for Independence Day, 2026, as part of a national list of 1,057 gallantry and service medals announced this year.

Mukherjee received the President's Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM), awarded for a special distinguished record in service. Eleven other Assam Police officers received the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM), given for valuable service marked by resourcefulness and devotion to duty.

Assam's Award List

Besides Mukherjee, the MSM recipients from Assam are:

  • V Siva Prasad Ganjala, Inspector General

  • Sarmistha Barua, Assistant Inspector General

  • Santanu Kumar Dutta, Commandant

  • Amitav Basumatary, Superintendent of Police

  • Subhasish Baruah, Superintendent of Police

  • Suman Chakraborty, Superintendent of Police

  • Aker Ali, Deputy Superintendent of Police

  • Ripon Paul, Lance Naik

  • Nanda Tripura, Lance Naik

  • Surajit Mozumder, Lance Naik

  • Prabin Baro, Assistant Sub Inspector

National Medal Tally

Nationally, 1,057 personnel from the Police, Fire, Home Guard and Civil Defence, and Correctional Services were awarded medals for Independence Day, 2026. Of these, 301 were Medals for Gallantry (GM) — 272 to police personnel and 29 to fire service personnel.

Of the 301 gallantry awards, 197 went to personnel from Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, 51 from Jammu and Kashmir, 12 from the North-East, and 41 from other regions.

A total of 92 PSMs were awarded nationally — 83 to police personnel, four to fire service, three to Civil Defence and Home Guard, and two to Correctional Service. A further 664 MSMs were awarded — 606 to police personnel, 28 to fire service, 18 to Civil Defence and Home Guard, and 12 to Correctional Service.

The Medal for Gallantry is awarded for a conspicuous act of gallantry in saving life or property, or in preventing crime or arresting criminals, with the risk involved weighed against the officer's duties. The PSM and MSM recognise distinguished and meritorious service respectively.