Colonel Santosh Babu, who was among the 20 soldiers that died in the line of duty in brutal hand-to-hand combat with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on June 15 last year, has been awarded with the second highest wartime gallantry honour, the Maha Vir Chakra, for showing "conspicuous bravery in face of enemy, exemplary leadership and astute professionalism."