General Manoj Pande, the Chief of Army Staff, praised and honored Sepoy Navaneetha Krishnan D from Tamil Nadu for his selfless act of rescuing a woman from drowning in the Bhakra Canal near Patiala, Punjab on June 16th. According to an official statement, at around 1500 hours on June 16, 2023, Sepoy Navaneetha Krishnan D was returning from Patiala to Sangrur while performing his duty of collecting rations as a Dandaman. While seated in the rear of the vehicle, he noticed a commotion on the road and witnessed a woman in grave danger as she was being swept away by the swift current of the Bhakra Canal.

According to the statement, without a moment’s hesitation, the army Jawan sprinted 100 meters downstream towards the rapid-flowing canal. He fearlessly leaped into the water and successfully rescued the woman from the imminent danger of drowning. Additionally, utilizing his skills as a trained Basic First Aid provider, he promptly administered Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), ultimately saving her life.