D. Sreeram Kumar

Sreeram Kumar was born in 1981 in Kovilpatti and did his schooling in Sainik School, Amaravathinagar and passed out in 1998. He did his under graduation at The American College in Madurai.[2]

Sreeram Kumar receives the Ashok Chakra from President Pratibha Patil on 26 January 2010.

Kumar joined the Officers Training Academy, Chennai in October 2002 and was commissioned into 90 Medium Regiment (Artillery) on 20 March 2004 and was promoted to the rank of Major on 24 August 2008. He served with 39 Assam Rifles in Arunachal Pradesh (Operation Orchid) and later in Manipur (Operation Hifazat).

A brief about the action reads:

On 23 Oct 08, at 1730hrs after obtaining explicit intelligence regarding presence of 10-15 armed terrorists at village Heingang Heibi Makhong, Imphal East District, 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 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.[3]