On Monday, Colonel Rai had won the Yudh Seva medal. The Yudh Seva medal one of India's highest military decorations for wartime distinguished service, is awarded for a high degree of distinguished services.br br br Col Rai was conferred the medal on the eve of Republic Day for outstanding contribution in planning and conduct of operations including a gun battle with militants in south Kashmir last year.br br br Hailing from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, Col Rai, who belonged to the 9 Gorkha Rifles but was on deputation to RR, is survived by two daughters and a son.br br br The encounter broke out today when the police assisted by Rashtriya Rifles of the army launched an operation after getting a tip off that a local Hizbul militant along with another accomplice had come home.