12 Rat Miners Conferred Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak

Exam-focused facts from the 9 August 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak was awarded to 12 rat miners for their exceptional courage and selfless service during the 2023 Silkyara tunnel rescue operation.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari presented the awards at an event in New Delhi on August 5, 2026.
Each awardee received a certificate, a miniature medal, and a cash award of ₹2 lakh.
The 12 recipients are Vaqeel Hasan, Munna, Ankur Kumar, Monu Kumar, Devendra, Mohd Rashid, Firoz Qureshi, Jatin Kashyap, Shorabh Kashyap, Mohd Irshad, Nasruddin, and Naseem.
The rat miners cleared the final 12 metres of the 57-metre-thick debris wall using shovels, spades, hammers, and drills, working for nearly 24 hours to rescue 41 trapped workers.