New Delhi, Jan. 25: The government has overlooked all soldiers killed in the militant attack earlier this month on the Pathankot Air Force base for the Republic Day gallantry awards, barring a sepoy who wrestled one of the militants to the ground before being killed himself.

Sepoy Jagdish Chand of a Defence Security Corps platoon at the air base was among four soldiers listed for the Kirti Chakra (posthumous), the second-highest award for gallantry in peacetime. Seven soldiers were killed defending the Pathankot air base from six militants.

The Ashoka Chakra, the highest award for gallantry in peacetime, was awarded to Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami of the 9 Para (special forces).

Two lieutenant generals, Subrata Saha and Konsam Himalay Singh, were also named for the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal - a gallantry award given for the highest distinguished service in peacetime or in war, during operations and hostilities.

Lt Gen. Saha, now a deputy chief of army staff, commanded the Kashmir Valley (15) corps before his current assignment. Lt Gen. Singh, who is also the first officer from Manipur to reach the rank, commanded the 16 (Jammu) corps. Between them, they were in charge of overseeing the international border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and counter-insurgency in the hinterland.

It is rare for an officer killed during military operations to be overlooked for a gallantry medal. Lt Col. E.K. Niranjan, the leader of the bomb disposal squad from the National Security Guard at Pathankot, was, however, ignored for the list to be announced tomorrow.

Military authorities say his death was a "battle casualty" but he was not killed in combat.

Unlike Niranjan, Col. Santosh Yashwant Mahadik, a special forces officer, who commanded the 41 Rashtriya Rifles, has been honoured with a Shaurya Chakra for valour, courage and self-sacrifice.

Col. Mahadik was killed in Kupwara in November last year in a firefight with militants that lasted four days in a forest near Haji Naka, close to the Line of Control.

Col. Mahadik was leading two companies from the front. He used to proudly call himself a "milkman's son" as his father supplied milk in Satara, Maharashtra, including to the Sainik School where the officer was a student.

As part of the operations in Kupwara, the highest gallantry award winner, Lance Naik Goswami of the 9 Para (special forces)/6th Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles, was also deployed.

On the night of September 2-3, 2015, Lance Naik Goswami was part of an ambush in Haphruda forest in Kupwara. He was killed after shooting down several attackers who had pinned down his injured comrades.

Lance Naik Goswami was killed in an act of "most conspicuous gallantry in personally eliminating two terrorists and assisting in evacuation of his wounded colleagues and made supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army", reads his citation.

The honours list also names Col Ranjit Jha for a Yudh Seva Medal. Col Jha commanded the 21 Para (special forces) that conducted raids along the India-Myanmar border after militants attacked and killed 18 soldiers in Manipur's Chandel district last June.