MAJOR MOHIT SHARMA, AC, SM Was an Indian Army Officer Who Was Awarded with ASHOKA CHAKRA That Is India's Highest Peace-Time Military Decoration
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MAJOR MOHIT SHARMA, AC, SM was an Indian Army Officer who was awarded with ASHOKA CHAKRA that is India's highest peace-time military decoration. In 1995, Major left Engineering and joined NDA to pursue his dream. During his NDA training, he excelled in multiple activities including swimming, boxing and horse riding. Under the training of Col Bhawani Singh, became the champion of horse riding. He was also a winner in Boxing under feather weight category. After completing his academics studies in NDA, he joined IMA in 1998. Where, he was awarded the rank of Battalion Cadet Adjutant. He got a chance to meet the then President of India K. R. Narayanan at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. On 11 December 1999 he was commissioned as Lieutenant in 5th Battalion of The Madras Regiment. On completing 3 successful years of Military service, Major opted for the Para Special Forces and he became a trained Para Commando by joining elite 1st Para SF in June 2003. In same year he was promoted to Captain. After which he was posted in Kashmir where he showed absolute leadership and bravery. Then he was promoted to Major in year 2005. After that he was awarded with Sena Medal for his bravery. His third posting was to train the Commandos in Belgaum where he instructed for 2 years. After this he was again moved to Kashmir where he made an ultimate sacrifice. Discussing about his Last Operation, On 21 March 2009, after receiving information of presence of some infiltrating terrorists in dense Haphruda Forest, Major planned meticulously and led his commandos in tracking them. On observing suspicious movement, he alerted his scouts but terrorists fired from three directions indiscriminately. In the heavy exchange of fire, four commandos were wounded immediately. With complete disregard to his safety, he crawled and recovered two soldiers to safety. Unmindful of the overwhelming fire, he threw grenades and killed two terrorists but was shot in the chest. In the brief respite that followed, he kept directing his commandos, in spite of serious injuries. Sensing further danger to his comrades, he charged in a daring close quarter combat killing two more terrorists and attained martyrdom fighting for his motherland in the finest traditions of Indian Army. For this Supreme Sacrifice he was awarded with the nation's highest peace time gallantry award ‘Ashok Chakra’ on January 26, 2010. .