Meet Captain Lalrinawma Sailo 4 PARA (SF): First Mizo Officer to Receive the Kirti Chakra for Bravery

On August 15, 2025, President Droupadi Murmu approved the list of gallantry awards for Independence Day, which includes Capt. Lalrinawma Sailo (4 PARA SF) in the Kirti Chakra roll. The official PIB document explicitly lists his name and unit, confirming the honour. For India’s elite Special Forces community and for Mizoram, this is a landmark moment that places a Mizo officer among the country’s most highly decorated peacetime gallantry awardees.

While the full operation details remain classified, multiple outlets report that the act of conspicuous gallantry is linked to Operation Sindoor, the larger inter-service campaign credited with precision strikes against terror and military targets earlier this year. Official citations for individual Special Forces actions have not yet been released, but reputable coverage ties Capt. Sailo’s bravery to this operational arc.

Early life & training

Capt. Sailo’s journey reflects a classic pathway of academic rigour and military excellence: educated at RIMC (Dehradun), followed by the National Defence Academy (NDA) and commissioning from the Indian Military Academy (IMA). This foundation paved the way to his selection for 4 PARA (SF) one of the most demanding regiments in the Indian Army.

The honour and what it signifies

The Kirti Chakra is awarded for “conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy”, and ranks second in the peacetime order of precedence, below the Ashoka Chakra and above the Shaurya Chakra. It can be awarded to both military personnel and civilians, including posthumously. Capt. Sailo joins a select group of four Kirti Chakra awardees named in 2025.

For Mizoram, this recognition has deep symbolic value. Media in the Northeast highlight him as the first Mizo officer to receive the Kirti Chakra; they also recall that Subedar Chalhnuna (Assam Rifles) is a prior Kirti Chakra awardee from the Mizo community hence Capt. Sailo’s feat is best understood as first Mizo officer / second Mizo individual to be honoured with this decoration. Clarifying the nuance helps reconcile headlines across outlets.

Also Read: All Para SF Battalions: Their Nicknames and Roles

Voices from home

Mizoram’s leadership celebrated the award. Chief Minister Lalduhoma called Capt. Sailo a reflection of the capability of Mizo youth to excel nationally; the state announced ₹10 lakh in recognition. These gestures underline how individual military gallantry can inspire an entire region’s youth to aspire for service and excellence.

Part of a larger honours roll in 2025

The Independence Day 2025 list approved by the President includes 127 gallantry awards and 40 distinguished service awards across the armed forces. Within the Army’s roll alone, four Kirti Chakras were awarded, alongside Vir Chakras, Shaurya Chakras and other decorations. Capt. Sailo’s name appears on the official PDF of awardees released by PIB.

Why this matters

• Representation & role models: A Special Forces officer from Mizoram receiving a national gallantry honour deepens representation from India’s Northeast within elite units.
• Recognition of Special Forces’ quiet professionalism: The absence of public operational detail is typical for Special Forces; the award itself signals extraordinary courage in high-risk, high-denial environments.
• Continuity of valour from Mizoram: With the historical reference to Subedar Chalhnuna, Capt. Sailo’s award situates today’s honour in a longer tradition of gallantry from the Mizo community.

About the Kirti Chakra (Quick facts)

• Category: Peacetime gallantry (military & civilian)
• Precedence: Ashoka Chakra > Kirti Chakra > Shaurya Chakra
• Citation basis: Conspicuous gallantry or self-sacrifice other than in the face of the enemy
  These details are standard in official and encyclopaedic references.

Capt. Lalrinawma Sailo’s Kirti Chakra is more than a decoration pinned on a uniform it is a story of rigorous preparation, quiet courage, and the pride of a state and a nation. As India reflects on the meaning of service and sacrifice this Independence Day, his example offers a clear message to young aspirants from Mizoram and across the country: excellence has no postcode only purpose.