March 21 marked the 16th death anniversary of Major Mohit Sharma, one of India's bravest military officers who died fighting terrorists in Kashmir.
Major Mohit Sharma, a Special Forces paratrooper from the elite Parachute Regiment, was awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry decoration in 2010.
New Delhi's Rajendra Nagar metro station was renamed after him in 2019.
His ultimate act of valour
Major Mohit was 31 and on his third posting to Kashmir when he was killed in action battling terrorists in a forest in Kupwara.
He was leading his team of commandoes amid a heavy fire from three directions. Four of his team members were seriously wounded.
Major Mohit without concern about his personal safety crawled through the hail of bullets to pull two of his team members to safety.
He continued fighting fearlessly and killed two terrorists. Unfortunately, he was struck by a bullet in his chest, but kept directing his men in the battle against the terrorists.
Seriously wounded and bleeding profusely, he charged at the terrorists and killed two other terrorists in close combat. In doing so, he saved the lives of his brothers in arms and prevented the terrorists from escaping.
In the deadly operation, he sacrificed his life in the finest traditions of the Indian military.
Four of his fellow soldiers were also killed in action in the operation. Among them Paratrooper Shabir Ahmad Malik was awarded the Kirti Chakra, the second highest gallantry award in peacetime.
How Major Mohit became Iftikhar to infiltrate Hizbul Mujahideen
Major Mohit had already been awarded two gallantry decorations before receiving the Ashok Chakra.
In a daring operation he went undercover to infiltrate Hizbul terrorists. He took the name Iftikhar, grew a long beard, spoke Kashmiri and befriended two terrorists. He ultimately gunned them down and was awarded the Sena Medal in 2004.
A film on Major Mohit had been announced in 2021.
A statue of Major Mohit Sharma is in Ghaziabad, his hometown.
His wife is a serving army officer.
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