The Ashok Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peace time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice" other than in the face of the enemy. The decoration may be awarded either to military or civilian personnel and may be awarded posthumously.

On 23 Oct 08, at 1730hrs after obtaining explicit intelligence regarding presence of 10-15 armed terrorists at village Heingang Heibi Makhong, Imphal East Distt, Maj D Sreeram Kumar launched ops to eliminate the terrorists.  Reaching the site, he laid multiple ambushes on the escape routes of the terrorists.

Around 1830hrs, the section under Maj D Sreeram Kumar observed suspicious movement of armed terrorists moving towards the the nearby ridge on being challenged, the terrorists opened indiscriminate heavy automatic fire and pinned down the section.  The offr miraculously missed certain death but showing exemplary courage and presence of mind, engaged the terrorists with accurate fire and killed two terrorists on the spot.

In the ensuring fierce encounter upholding the traditions of the Indian Army, showing leadership of the highest order and unmindful of personal safety, Maj D Sreeram Kumar directed his buddy to provide covering fire and with utter disregard to his own safety dashed down and closed in crawling and killed the two terrorists at point blank range.  A fifth terrorists was killed by his buddy after vigorious search.

For displaying inspirational leadership, conspicuous gallantry under hostile fire and single handled eliminating four terrorists, Maj D Sreeram Kumar was awarded ‘Ashok Chakra’ on the occasion of the Independence Day 09.