Ajay Kothiyal

Colonel (Retd.)
Ajay Kothiyal
KC, SC, VSM
Born (1969-02-26) February 26, 1969
Tehri, Uttarakhand, India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service 1992-2017
Rank Colonel
Service number IC-51821X [1]
Unit The Garhwal Rifles
Commands held 4th Battalion/Nuranang Battalion; 10th Battalion, of The Garhwal Rifles
Battles/wars Kargil War
Awards Kirti Chakra
Shaurya Chakra
Vishisht Seva Medal
Spouse(s) Unmarried
Relations Inspector General.(Retd.)Satyasaran Kothiyal (father); Late. Sushila Kothiyal (mother)
Other work Principal of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering;[2] Founder of Youth Foundation Uttarakhand, India [3]
Website http://youthfoundationuttarakhand.org/index.html

Colonel Ajay Kothiyal, KC, SC, VSM is one of the highly decorated officers of the Indian Army. He is also a renowned mountaineer as well as philanthropist and the Principal of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarakhand.[4]

Kothiyal (then Major) was also part of the first team of the Indian Army that successfully summited the Mount Everest in 2001, under the leadership of Brigadier Krishan Kumar AVSM.

In 2013, he started a nonprofit trust called Youth Foundation to help the rural youth to join the Indian Military and Para Military Services.[5]

Early life

Ajay Kothiyal was born on 26 February 1969, as the eldest son of Inspector General.(Retd.)Satyasaran Kothiyal Border Security Force and Sushila Kothiyal. His alma mater include St. Joseph's Academy, Dehradun, Brightlands School, Kendriya Vidyalaya Dehradun, D.A.V.Post Graduate College Dehradun and Indian Military Academy.[6][7]

Military service

Col.Kothiyal began his army career in 1992 with Garhwal Rifles as Second Lieutenant. In 2001-2003, he was posted in Shopian during Operation Parakram/2001–02 India–Pakistan standoff. Here he and his team managed to neutralize 24 terrorists, out of which 17 were killed by Kothiyal himself. For this act of valour, Col. Kothiyal was awarded the Kirti Chakra.[8] The strategy that he used during this operation was considered to be innovative by the Indian Army and is still being taught at the warfare school of the same.[9]

Military Decorations

Kirti Chakra
Shaurya Chakra
Vishisht Seva Medal
Wound Medal
Special Service Medal
Operation Vijay Star
Siachen Glacier Medal
Operation Vijay Medal
Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal
High Altitude Service Medal
Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal
UN Interim Force in Lebanon Medal

Awards

See also

References

  1. ↑ "63rd Republic Day: The gallantry award winners : IC-51821X COLONEL AJAY KOTHIYAL, KIRTI CHAKRA, SHAURYA CHAKRA, GARHWAL RIFLES". rediff.com. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Principal Colonel Ajay Kothiyal, KC, SC, VSM". NIM. NIM. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "TEAM & GOVERNING BODY Founded by Colonel Ajay Kothiyal KC, SC, VSM on 13 Jul 2013". Youth Foundation. Youth Foundation. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "Colonel Ajay Kothiyal Kirti Chakra , Shaurya Chakra , Visisht Seva Medal". Youth Foundation. Youth Foundation. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "The Colonel who dares the hills". The Tribune Trust. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Colonel Ajay Kothiyal Kirti Chakra , Shaurya Chakra , Visisht Seva Medal". Youth Foundation. Youth Foundation. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "Heroic deeds of an Army officer". The Tribune. Tribune News Service. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "This Colonel Helped Rehabilitate Uttarakhand After The 2013 Floods & Trained Over 2000 Youngsters To Join The Army". thelogicalindian.com. thelogicalindian.com. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "ajay kothiyal interview on Himalayan Day". Amar Ujala Publications Ltd. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  10. ↑ "uttarakhand ratna award to narendra singh negi and colonel Ajay Kothiyal". Amar Ujala Publications Ltd. Amar Ujala Publications Ltd. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "Winners:Col. Ajay Kothiyal". indiatvnews.com. indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
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