Vir Chakra (VrC)

Surgeon Lieutenant Sudhansu Sekhar Panda was the medical officer on board INS Khukri, which sank in the Arabian Sea after a Pakistani submarine attack. On 9 December 1971, when the ship was hit by enemy torpedo, Surgeon Lieutenant Panda, in complete disregard for his personal safety, went down to the ship's sick bay to ensure that the sick and wounded personnel were brought on deck for evacuation. In the meantime, the ship was hit by another torpedo and despite the fact that he was aware that the chances of his survival were decreasing every second, he continued to evacuate the sick and wounded to the upper deck. In so doing, he made the supreme sacrifice. Throughout, Surgeon Lieutenant Panda displayed courage and devotion to duty of a high order.