Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair

Colonel
N J Nair
AC, KC
Nickname(s) NJ
Born 17 February 1951
Ernakulam, Kerala
Died 20 December 1993(1993-12-20) (aged 42)
Nagaland
Allegiance India Republic of India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service 18 June 1971 - 20 Dec 1993
Rank Colonel
Unit Maratha Light Infantry
Battles/wars Insurgency in Northeast India
Awards Ashoka Chakra
Kirti Chakra

Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair, AC, KC (popularly known as "NJ" ) was one of the outstanding and decorated officers of the Indian Army. Nair commissioned into 16 Maratha Light Infantry on 18 June 1971. In 1993, 16 Maratha Light Infantry was deployed in Nagaland. 20 Dec 1993 while heading an advance party of the battalion, his convoy was ambushed by Naga rebels. Col NJ Nair displayed indomitable courage in leading the attack personally to break the ambush and sacrificed his life defending his men. For this supreme act of valour, he was conferred the 'Ashoka Chakra'.[1][2][3]

Technically Col. N.J. Nair is the most decorated officer of the Indian Army, as the only serviceman to have been awarded both the highest(Ashok Chakra) and second highest (Kirti Chakra) awards for gallantry.

Biography

Nair was an alumnus of Sainik School,[4] Kazhakootam, Kerala, and the National Defence Academy, Pune (38th NDA 'I' Squadron).[5] He served as an instructor at the Army Intelligence school in Pune. He was also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington and had served in IMTRAT Bhutan. His career in the Indian Army spanned over two decades, during which he had held varied command as well as staff appointments.[1][6]

In 1983, in Mizoram, Col Nair engaged the insurgents in close quarter combat and he was awarded the Kirti Chakra in recognition of his exceptional gallantry.

In December 1993, he was leading an advance party of convoy in Nagaland, when they were ambushed by about one hundred insurgents. The overwhelming fire from automatic weapons killed 1 Junior Commissioned officer and 13 jawans on the spot. Col Nair who was seriously injured did not lose his courage. Unmindful of his serious injury, he organised his jawans in an assault line and charged at the insurgents when they broke ranks and fled. For his courage and gallanty he was awarded the Ashoka Chakra posthumously in 1994.[2][7]

Major decorations

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Reddy, Kittu (2007). "Chapter 6: Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair". Bravest of the Brave (Heroes of Indian Army ). Ocean book Publisher. pp. 102–105. ISBN 81-87100-00-1.
  2. 1 2 Staff Reporter (Feb 18, 2007). "Souvenir on war hero released". Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram: The Hindu. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  3. ↑ Superhero Comic book on NC Nair http://www.indianexpress.com/news/remembering-super-men/499540/0
  4. ↑ New Page 1
  5. ↑ National Defence Academy, NDA Pune | NDA Martyrs Archived 2011-09-29 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Insurgency will be dealt with an iron fist, says Army Chief http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/insurgency-will-be-dealt-with-an-iron-fist-says-army-chief/article1798906.ece
  7. ↑ Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair
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